Naruto of the Godless
by Luxurious Mini Danga
Summary: No more gods, no more titans and no more angels. Enough is enough, and the time has come to break the chains has come. The Godless are coming. (Highschool Dxd AU)
1. Act 1 Part 1: Collide

Heads-up** now this story starts with DxD for the first act (4 chapters or so) and will branch out into other stuff like Percy Jackson and gain a worldwide view.**

**This story is of the Godless faction and everything starts in Kuoh.**

**Story Start!**

* * *

The essence of every world, every spell and every thought is power. Nothing else matters, because nothing else exists. - Nicol Bolas

* * *

It was a sunny day in Kuoh, the sky was clear, the birds were singing and the everyone seemed to be in a good mood.

There was an atmosphere of anticipation as the residents of a certain club rushed around the Old School building in a frenzy of activity.

In the kitchen, the buxom Himejima Akeno reigned. Her prowess as the Occult Research Club's greatest cook was undeniable, which put her in charge of preparing the soup to be served later. Her long ebony locks wrapped up neatly in a hairnet, she took a whiff of the heavenly scent wafting from the huge pot she was stirring.

'Hmm.' It could use some more pepper.

Next to her, the petite Koneko kneaded a massive piece of dough nearly equal to her own size, although none dared to point out her height.

Or more precisely, the lack of it.

The door to Akeno's domain opened and Kiba walked in, carefully balancing two trays of marinated chicken, sliced perfectly into thin strips of identical thickness and length, a testament to Kiba's impeccable skill with the blade.

The only one not doing anything was the newcomer Issei Hyoudou. Even the usually indolent Rias was getting her hands dirty, hurriedly scrubbing down the windows as Asia scurried about, straightening the cushions adorning the living room's sofas. To the boy's credit, Issei had just arrived and hadn't a clue on what was going on.

''Asia, what's all the fuss about?'' Issei asked the former nun as she clapped her petite hands together in joy, the little bishop having perfectly completed another task. The cushions were now impeccably arranged, each square carefully balanced on a single tip atop the sofas.

The club room was usually sufficiently neat and clean, and the brunette was stumped as to why they were all going the extra mile now. Rias was even polishing the windows and brushing down the furniture by hand. In the short time they had known each other, he'd never seen her lift a finger for house chores. After all, that was what they had familiars for.

On that note, where were said familiars?

''Ah, Issei-san.'' Asia stopped and turned towards the boy. ''I'm not sure either, Buchou didn't tell me why we were cleaning when she asked me to help, but I think we will be meeting someone important here today.''

''Huh?'' Issei furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. No one had mentioned anything recently. How long had he been kept out of the loop?

''Yes, Kiba, Koneko and Akeno-san are all in the kitchen cooking a very big lunch.'' Asia blinked as if just recalling something. ''Buchou told me to tell you when you arrived to help out the familiars with the shopping. But I think they're almost done by now.''

Rias was just about to proceed to cleaning the bookcase when she noticed that her Pawn had arrived.

''Issei, why are you just standing there? Get busy, we've still got much to do!'' She exclaimed, waving her feather brush energetically at the bewildered brunette.

''I-um Buchou, what's going on? What do you need me to do?''

''I didn't tell you? Right of course I didn't. We only got news this morning…'' Rias stopped rambling, pinching the bridge of her nose as she lamented her perpetual forgetfulness.

Then a bright, warm smile adorned her visage as she exclaimed excitedly. ''Naruto is finally coming back today!''

Issei's gut clenched, tying itself into knots at his King's exuberant response to the impending arrival of this 'Naruto'. Who was this guy? Who was he to her? Why was Rias so excited to see him? What made him so special? A million questions surged through his mind, but only one word made it out of his lips.

''Naruto?''

''Yeah, he's another member of my peerage. He rarely shows up because he's always busy dealing with other important affairs elsewhere.'' Rias frowned in mild irritation for a second before smiling brightly. ''But he's coming back today, hopefully for good.''

"Oh…" Issei frowned then covered it up with a half-smile while clenching his fist. "Sounds like a jerk…" He muttered under his breath.

***Smack***

Rias' smacked him across the face. He hadn't meant to say it out loud, but had done so anyway.

"You don't know him like I do. Don't talk about him like that." She glared and then glanced to the side. "Go help the familiars unpack."

She turned away and proceeded to re-arrange the multitudes of books adorning her personal bookshelf.

Issei stared at her stiff back as she mechanically went about her task, obviously truly angry at him. It was the first time she had ever shown him that expression.

Sure, she had been disappointed when he left to save Asia without her permission but that reaction had been nothing like this.

Seriously, just what did this "Naruto" guy mean to her?

**-An hour later-**

The sun was setting and the peerage had gathered outside the school gate in anticipation of their missing member's long awaited return.

Rias and Akeno were front and center, both jostling to be the first to welcome Naruto back. Wisely avoiding the brewing catfight, Kiba and Koneko stood to the left, with Asia and Issei bringing up the rear.

Ever since he had been struck, Issei couldn't get his mind off of the blow. And the person whom his King had defended so earnestly.

"Psst, Kiba" Issei nudged the gently smiling blonde with his elbow. "What kind of guy is he?"

"Naruto?" Kiba tilted his head innocently, blonde locks swaying.

"Yeah, _him_. What kind of person is he?"

"That's a tough question, I've only met him once and it was years ago. And our first meeting didn't go so well either."

"Oh?" Issei's interest was piqued. Rare was it that Kiba made a bad first impression on someone. His flawless looks and graceful, gentle manner had charmed all far and wide. The multitudes of rabid fangirls in the Academy could testify to that.

Kiba rubbed his chin thoughtfully, mild regret tinging his bluish-grey orbs. "I was a complicated kid with a chip on my shoulder back then, and I lashed out at him in frustration when we first met. He smacked me around the entire Gremory Estate, and I was unable to sit properly for a whole week."

"Sounds like a jerk to me." Issei muttered sourly.

Shaking his head fondly, Kiba defended his fellow peerage member.

"It was my fault really. I attacked him first. He's an odd guy If I were to describe him… he's sorta like a mixture of a fox and a tiger. He always had a cheeky smile on and he could sometimes be a bit condescending and annoying, he really hated being interrupted whenever he was eating ramen. He rarely started fights, but always finished them. Especially if you stole from his precious stash of Instant Ramen."

Here, Kiba shuddered. Akeno had been chased up and down the Gremory Household when the blonde had discovered that she had pilfered his most precious treasure, cackling evilly as she led him on a wild goose chase. Despite ending up quite bruised from his righteous fury, she had thoroughly enjoyed teasing him, barely concealing her moans of pleasure as he tackled her into submission and proceeded to... "punish" her.

Was it really punishment if the one being punished enjoyed it more than you did?

Kiba hadn't known who he feared more then, the furious blonde, or his insane Queen.

Shaking his head at the fond memory, Kiba turned back to Issei.

"I really didn't like him back then, or many things for that matter. But he proved himself to be trustworthy and loyal in time."

"I see…" Issei nodded in understanding, he would reserve judgement. For now.

"Rias and Akeno knew him better and they both are very fond of him, so he can't be that bad." Kiba concluded.

The knot in Issei's chest tightened.

"Is that him?" Koneko pointed at a silhouette ahead approaching the school gates.

She needed no reply as Rias slammed open the gates, sprinting forth before tackling him in a hug, followed closely by her Queen, who couldn't believe she had been outran by her King. Sporting an untamed, wild mane of blonde hair with two bangs stretching to his broad shoulders, Naruto grinned, sky-blue orbs glimmering with amusement, as he wrapped his ecstatic King in a tight, welcoming embrace.

"You were gone for so long this time..." Rias muttered, her voice muffled as she buried her face in his chest, arms wrapped tightly around Naruto.

The sun overhead made it hard to discern any specific features beyond his angular face and chiseled cheekbones, apart from the black jacket, white muscle shirt and black slacks the blonde sported.

Pouting, Akeno refused to let Rias monopolize the blonde, quickly squeezing past her protesting King as she wrapped her arms around Naruto's muscled back, tiptoeing slightly to place her chin on his shoulder, whining into his ear.

"I missed you too, you know~"

Issei's heart ached, it hurt to watch them and it got worse after the reunited trio finally separated, Rias and Akeno each claiming an arm as they led Naruto into the compound, chattering animatedly as they caught each other up after being separated for such a long spell.

As he approached, his features left the sun's glare and became clear to see. Issei was once again reminded of how Kiba had described him as a hybrid of a fox and a tiger. Whiskers adorned both sides of his face, and the cheeky, mischievous smile bore a stark resemblance to a fox's own cunning grin. However, the blonde's confident posture, prowling gait and striking presence could be interpreted as nothing other than the king of predators.

The Tiger.

Quite the combination.

_'How am I supposed to compete with that?!'_ Issei protested mentally as he watched Naruto stride confidently and swiftly up to the gathered Peerage.

"Naruto! Naruto, these are the new members of the peerage I've told you about. Koneko, Argento Asia and Hyoudou Issei." Rias chattered excitedly, briefly releasing his arm from her death-grip as she gestured to them with her left hand.

"He really is just as you described. Cute eyes, lustful yet innocent, a strange combination." Naruto commented, before smiling warmly as he extended his hand. "I'm Naruto, nice to meet you."

Issei looked at his outstretched hand then at Rias and Akeno, who both eyed him intently, before he conceded and shook it briefly.

"I smell ramen," Naruto turned away from Issei and the others, his nose twitching as he sniffed deeply. "Lots of ramen, oh~ this smells great, where is this heavenly scent coming from?"

"From the Club house," Akeno stepped forth proudly, laying her head on his shoulder as she traced her index finger on his chest. "We- no,_ I_ made it for you."

Issei stifled the desire to groan and instead rolled his eyes.

"Really? Woah, what we still doing here then, lets eat!" Naruto's eyes glimmered with barely restrained enthusiasm and anticipation, scooping up the suddenly squealing Queen into his welcoming arms before he bolted for the Clubroom at top speeds.

* * *

**-An hour later-**

* * *

As it turned out, Naruto wasn't that bad a guy as Issei had initially believed. He was, in fact, very friendly and open, wearing his heart on his sleeve.

The blonde reclined comfortably in his favorite armchair, joking and chattering away at the rest of the peerage who had gathered around the coffee table, listening attentively as Naruto shared some of the more interesting stories of his travels.

"Why haven't you visited earlier?"

The lively conversation stopped after those words came out of Issei's mouth, an awkward silence arising at the sudden interruption, before all eyes turned to Naruto. Despite spoiling the cheerful mood, that had been a good question.

"Busy." Naruto mumbled, as he stuffed a chocolate chip cookie into his mouth, hands already reaching for more of Koneko's freshly baked treats.

"Couldn't you have just teleport here with a magic circle?"

"Nope, I wish I could use them. My life would be a lot easier that way… you do understand, right?"

"Actually yeah, I do. For some reason magic circles also don't work for me…" Issei sighed in relief. Finally, someone who understood his plight.

"It'd be strange if it did, given that you have a dragon inside you. A devil's magical circle can't transport a dragon. The only way to summon a dragon is through the Dragon's Gate, and only another dragon can open it." Naruto remarked offhandedly, as he snatched an entire tray of brownies laced with peanut butter that had been cooling on the coffee table after just exiting the oven.

He could never resist Koneko's treats, especially when she deigned to actually get down to making them. The ultimate connoisseur of sweet treats had learned from only the best of the huge variety of treats she had consumed, and he couldn't get enough whenever she made some herself.

Inhaling nearly half of the entire tray in seconds, he smiled and patted his stomach before passing the tray of treats back to its maker, who devoured the rest, resulting in a pouting Rias as she received nothing but crumbs on the now empty tray.

Burping in satisfaction, Naruto stood up and stretched, working out the kinks in his back.

"This was great, I'm really stuffed. How about we take an hour to digest, then you rookies show me your moves?"

"Sounds like a good idea," Rias got up snatched up an arm, dragging him away to her private chambers.

"In the meantime... I think we've have a _lot_ to talk about."

"Oh boy…" Naruto muttered to himself as he was pulled away unrelentingly by a determined Rias. "Okay, but be gentle with me- I'll see you guys later..."

The door to Rias' chambers slammed shut, drowning out Rias' embarrassed whines at Naruto's choice of words.

"Well, that's that I guess." Kiba got up and proceeded to leave. "I'm going to get ready and you guys should too. Knowing him it's going to be a hell of a wake up call. Fortunately, now we have Asia to heal us after we regain consciousness from the inevitable beat down."

Asia blushed at being singled out for praise.

"Senpai will participate too?" Koneko asked while tugging at Kiba's shirt, golden orbs widening as her lips trembled slightly. She had long since realised how to weaponizee Herinnate cuteness to get her way in things.

Kiba paused, even he was not immune to her weaponized cuteness, before he flashed a gentle smile and patted her head reassuringly. "Sure, sounds like a great opportunity to test myself and gauge the difference between Naruto and I. You're welcome to join me in preparation, just going to do some light exercises to limber up."

"I'll be okay," Koneko shook her head and released his shirt, "going to eat more cookies."

Akeno leapt up and followed closely behind the petite rook, salivating at the prospect of eating more of Koneko's heavenly treats.

She rarely made them unless Naruto was here to enjoy it.

Until Koneko pointedly shattered her hopes and dreams with a blank stare along with a dull announcement.

"Don't bother. I'm not planning to share."

Gasping at the betrayal, Akeno scooped up the diminutive Rook, squishing her head into her bountiful cleavage, before whining pitifully as the pair headed for the kitchen.

"Oh come on~ Sharing is caring, my darling kouhai~"

Kiba stared blankly at the retreating pair, stunned by Koneko's blunt rejection, before he shook himself out of his trance. He paused to glance at Issei, then sighed and left without a word.

Issei caught onto Kiba's blatant warning and frowned, while Asia patted his shoulder reassuringly.

"I'm sure you will be fine, Issei-san. Naruto-san can't be so bad, he seems like a nice person."

"Fufufu~ I wouldn't count on that." Akeno gave them one of her 'not-so-nice-girl' smiles as she returned from her successful venture, having pestered Koneko till she gave in and surrendered one of her precious brownies, which was currently cradled possessively in her bosom. Raising a hand to her cheek, Akeno sighed in masochistic pleasure, "He's always been _brutal_ when it came to training. I've missed sparring with him. He could both take, and dish out lots of _punishment~ _He was always bad at pulling his punches..."

"Even with you and Buchou?" Issei asked, his previous anger for the whiskered blond making a rapid comeback.

"Yes, even us." Akeno's visage gained a nostalgic expression. "It was normal for us to get out of spars with black eyes and busted lips at least, although I once got in a good lick on him that left him having to eat soup and liquids for a good week."

"Wow, when you put it like that he kinda sounds like a prick… I don't think I could hit you or buchou, or any other girl." Issei commented.

Akeno raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"

"Because…" Issei fidgeted and looked down, "you know…"

"Fufufu, you're so cute." Akeno pinched his cheek. "It's cute that you wouldn't, but it's also a bit insulting. Him always taking us seriously is one of the things I like about him. He sees us not as weak damsels, but as strong women with potential for further growth. He isn't a bad guy so don't say that about him, especially behind his back." A hint of disapproval colored her tone.

"Sorry…"

"Don't worry about it, he probably wouldn't care anyway. It's just rude to talk behind someone's back, especially since he's one of us." Akeno began to collect the empty dishes abandoned at the dining table, stacking up the bowls and cutlery. "Even if he doesn't know you well enough yet, now that you are officially part of our little family, I'm sure that if it came down to it, he'd die for you without hesitation."

Appropriately chastised, Issei nodded at Akeno and turned around. "I'm going to go get ready."

Asia stayed behind to help Akeno with the dishes.

Making his way out of the old school building, Issei plopped down on the grass with a sigh, pillowing his hands under his head as he looked up at the sky contemplatively, trying to organize his muddled thoughts.

Naruto appeared to be someone unreliable that was never around when needed, yet his compatriots swore by his loyalty and trustworthiness. He routinely beat them up in training and they praised him for it, even Rias and Akeno! Furthermore, Rias seemed to have no compunctions in wanting to spend some 'alone time' with him, especially with the way she'd said it.

From first-hand experience he seemed like a decent guy, cheeky, mischievous and confident.

A part of Issei liked him, but a far larger part hated him for Rias and Akeno thinking so highly of him. They defended Naruto without hesitation, went out of their way to welcome him back, and clung to him the moment they saw each other again. How could that be anything other than them harbouring feelings for the blonde? If Issei was in Naruto's shoes, he wouldn't leave them behind while he went away on his own missions, he wouldn't beat them up in training, he'd treasure them, so why'd they pick him?

Thoughts of Rias and Naruto alone in a room kept surfacing in Issei's mind. He'd try to bury those thoughts but his overactive imagination kept conjuring up vivid, torturous scenes that made his stomach clench as he closed his eyes, shaking his head to get rid of those traitorous thoughts.

A hand was placed on Issei's shoulder. He was shaken from his stupor and blinked owlishly as he stared at the curtain of blonde hair hanging over his face, bringing with it the scent of freshly plucked lilies.

It was Asia, the petite nun on her knees beside him, peering at him adorably with her large, innocent, viridian orbs.

Stunned that Asia, of all people had managed to sneak up on him, he sat up and looked behind him.

Naruto stood a couple of yards to his right with his arms crossed, a foxy grin decorating his visage, flanked by Koneko and Kiba.

Akeno brought up the rear. Rias was presumably still in her private quarters.

All eyes were on Issei.

"Huh?" The pawn stuttered, confused as to why everyone was gathered around him.

"Are you ready, Issei-san?" Asia asked while leaning closer to him, the delicate smell of lilies once again pervading his nostrils.

Issei blushed, red tinging his cheeks as he strained not to react from the former nun's proximity.

'DOWN, boy! Down!'

Naruto snickered in the background at his predicament.

As Issei wallowed in the midst of his self-imposed mental torture, a full hour had already passed, and he missed both the march of time and the peerage gathering behind him.

"Yeah I'm ready." Issei got up and patted down his pants, brushing off the grass clinging to the fabric of his uniform.

Flexing his neck, Issei cracked his knuckles, ready to see how he measured up against his erstwhile nemesis, beckoning teasingly at Naruto, he taunted.

"Bring it on."

Naruto's leveled a deadpan look at him, not rising to the bait.

Turning around to face Koneko, he clarified. "The intent of this exercise is for you rookies to show me what you're capable of. As your senpai, I will be the one evaluating you, although Akeno will be watching. Kiba, as the senior one here, you will have to show them how it's done. When you're ready, then come at me."

Naruto casually slipped off his black jacket, folding in neatly before passing it to Akeno, who smiled warmly at Naruto before donning the jacket herself, luxuriating in Naruto's unique warmth and scent. Rias would have been proud of her, if she hadn't been pouting impotently at having missed out on an opportunity herself.

Akeno: 2978

Rias: 48

Twirling a strand of long ebony hair, the Queen smirked in victory as she tallied the _slightly_ skewed scoreboard to include her latest win.

Now clad in a comfortable white muscle shirt, Naruto flexed slightly, working out the kinks before hopping slightly on the spot, limbering up as his chiseled form rippled under the well-fitted shirt.

With a cocky smirk adorning his face, he pointed at Kiba before beckoning confidently.

Needing no further prompting, Kiba leapt straight at Naruto, a red scimitar materialising mid-leap in his right hand, his Knight-given speed eating up the distance between the opponents in a blink of an eye. Despite Kiba's rapid approach, Naruto remained stationary, calmly bouncing lightly on the balls of his feet, patiently waiting.

He didn't have long to wait.h

The blonde knight reappeared in front of Naruto, his entire body leaping up as he crashed his blade downwards with all his strength, augmented by gravity's pull on his body's weight, culminating in a brutal, powerful sword strike almost invisible to the naked eye.

Naruto merely smiled.

And lightly hopped backwards, his light jump integrating perfectly into the timing of his constant hops as he slowly warmed up. Kiba's sword tip whistled as it sliced the air barely an inch before Naruto's nose, making Kiba swear under his breath. He had been aiming for Naruto's neck in that strike, not holding anything back in order to stand a chance against the deceptively calm blonde.

Having overextended, Kiba didn't bother slowing down. Instead he shifted his stance, lowering his center of gravity before swinging his sword around in a full circle, seamlessly integrating the movement efficiently to flow into another attack.

Naruto's smile widened. "You've gotten better."

Kiba nodded his head at the compliment, not bothering to reply, instead focusing completely in delivering a blindingly fast flurry of sword strikes that each flowed into the next, an unending stream of lightning-quick attacks, designed to overwhelm any defence.

Finally, Naruto ceased his hopping, stepping back fluidly as he tilted this way and that, constantly evading Kiba's brutal assault by a mere inch, the displaced air parting his blonde locks slightly as he leaned back to avoid the next flurry of stabs and slashes.

And then he stepped forth. Right into Kiba's oncoming slash.

Kiba's eyes widened. After dodging the best assault he could put forth with near contemptuous ease, why was Naruto now giving up, walking straight into another powerful blow?

Setting aside his confusion, Kiba put forth his full weight on the blow, sending his scimitar crashing down with immense strength, right at Naruto's calmly grinning face.

He would wipe off that confident grin, one way or another.

Until Naruto crouched down, leaping up high, up and over his whistling sword, which swung past and smashed deep into the ground, its blade embedded deep into the soil, sending Kiba stumbling from the jarring impact. Reaching the peak of the parabolic arc Naruto had etched in the air, he returned to gravity's embrace, somersaulting gracefully back around as he sent a powerful kick right into Kiba's unprotected back, which threw the Knight forward and into the dirt.

Landing with nary a sound, the blonde slid his hands casually back into the pockets of his black slacks, starting that _ridiculously_ annoying bounce again, the one which dared the opponent to attack his deceitfully lowered guard, past his non-existent defences.

Kiba, you're better than this. Use that knights speed, give me your best. You can't embarrass yourself in front of your kouhai, right?" Here, he gestured at the waiting Koneko, the rook barely restraining the urge to pounce at Naruto, only being held back by Kiba's warning stare.

Rhythmically tapping the ground as he hopped to a beat only he could hear.

''Just getting warmed up.'' Kiba got up from the dirt, brushing off his hands before materializing an immaculate European longsword in each hand, the perfectly crafted blades glimmering in the light.

The knight charged, twice as fast as before and swiped at Naruto's face, pivoting his body to smash down blow after blow as his body spun about, chaining each powerful strike into the next. Finally deigning to remove his hands from the pockets of his black slacks, Naruto grinned a toothy grin, a single kunai appearing in his right hand as he parried Kiba's mighty blows, sparks cascading off the crossed blades as Kiba smashed down strike after strike unrelentingly.

Summoning up all his strength, Kiba utilised both his swords longer reach and his entire bodyweight, he brought both swords crashing down on Naruto's single Kunai, aiming to send the cocky blonde to his knees from the sheer force of the blow.

"Impressive." Naruto praised, before he tossed his tiny blade in the air, snatching it back up in the reverse grip, darting forwards in a blindingly quick dash, sliding down on his knees past Kiba's stunned block, before parrying Kiba's crossed swords with the flat of his kunai's blade, the smooth edge not creating any sparks as the blades clashed, allowing him to get into Kiba's guard, where he delivered a single, devastating punch straight into the Knight's chest.

Instantly, Kiba was thrown back, blood spewing from his lips as all the air in his lungs left with a pained 'whoosh'.

Right into Koneko, who caught the swordsman and supported him with her petite, yet strong figure.

Stowing away his kunai, Naruto smiled warmly. "You've really trained hard, Kiba. You've gotten a lot better in these few years that I was gone."

Before his confident smirk returned, "But still not enough to beat me. Why don't you work with your kouhais?Together, you might actually stand a chance."

Spitting out a gob of blood, Kiba grinned as he shook his head to get rid of the stars orbiting his head from the force of Naruto's punch. The blonde really hadn't changed in all the years he was gone. Still the same cocky, cheeky, confident bastard who had the power to backup his words.

Kiba turned to smile gently at Koneko and Issei, "ready to hop in?"

Koneko deadpanned. "Do you really need to ask?"

Adjusting her combat gloves, embroidered with cute white cats all over it, Koneko aimed a focused glare at her senpai, who beckoned welcomingly with open arms.

"Let's wipe that smirk off his face." Issei confidently intoned, the **{Boosted Gear}** materializing on his right arm.

And they charged, the chivalrous swordsman, the tiny brawler, and the hot-headed fighter.

Kiba's speed increased till he became nothing but a yellow blur to Issei's inexperienced eyes.

Koneko charged as well, delivering a blur of punches and kicks in conjunction with Kiba's attacks, the two flowing seamlessly together in an awe-inspiring display of sheer teamwork, trust and confidence enabling them to play off each other's attacks flawlessly.

Where Koneko punched, leveling the ground as Naruto barely dodged the mighty blow, Kiba capitalized, sending a flurry of sword strikes that Naruto parried with his kunai.

Whenever Kiba circled around and struck, Koneko made sure to attack from the front, driving Naruto towards Kiba's blades, with seemingly no way of escape, boxing the grinning blonde in between, literally, the rock and a hard place.

Yet, the foxy smirk never left his face as Naruto seemed to defy the laws of physics, squirming in and out of their combined assaults, using the tiniest of spaces to wriggle out of range of their attacks, neither of them managing to land a single scratch on the immaculately dressed blonde.

"That's the spirit!" He cheered them on.

The gap in skill between them and Issei was evident. For all his talk, Issei could hardly keep up with their movements, to him it was all a mess: Kiba had become a white and yellow whirlwind around Naruto and Koneko, the former that somehow was still capable of evading and blocking them both.

Issei looked for an opportunity to tag in, but… looking at the swirling typhoon that was combat between Kiba, Koneko and Naruto, he hadn't the slightest clue on what to do. What could he do? Kiba and Koneko couldn't touch him and the pesky blonde wasn't even sweating.

Nothing intelligent came to mind, so he did the next best thing, something stupid, which was to charge straight into the fight, yelling a battle cry.

Kiba slowed down to not collide with Issei, throwing off his balance with the sudden deceleration, before hastily attempting another lunge at Naruto.

"Too slow." Naruto grabbed Kiba's wrist mid-thrust and pulled him into the path of Koneko's incoming punch. It was too late for the girl to pull back.

The Rook's powerful blow sent Kiba collapsing to his knees, his swords falling out of his grip as a torrent of blood erupted from his mouth. Kiba fainted.

Koneko froze in stunned horror at the damage she had inflicted to her own teammate, a costly mistake as Naruto flicked her on her forehead gently, the deceivingly light flick sending her to the depths of unconsciousness instantly. The petite rook collapsed on top of the insensate form of her senpai, a bruise forming on her forehead despite her Rook durability.

Unable to face the fate of his teammates, Issei focused on moving as fast as possible, having Boosted a few times while looking for an opportunity to enter the fight, delivering a solid, powerful punch to Naruto's face with all his might.

The gauntlet smashed with a meaty thud into something, grinding against flesh and bone and Issei grinned, he'd done what Kiba couldn't!

Until he collapsed with a scream of agony, excruciating pain radiating from his stomach area.

Curling into a fetal position on the soft, soft grass, Issei wailed in pain, moaning as he extracted his fist from his gut...

Wait.

What?

Blinking away the tears that obscured his vision, he looked down.

From her seat a safe distance away, Akeno winced in sympathy.

As Issei singlehandedly caused the destruction of his entire team, she first saw Naruto's grin vanish, a look of irritation crossing his face before he steeled his expression as Issei's fist, clad in the {Boosted Gear} careened at breakneck speeds for the blonde's face.

In a blur of movement almost beyond even her ability to see, Naruto _moved_, and sidestepped Issei's wild, desperate punch, the Pawn's last attempt to extract victory from the jaws of defeat, both hands coming up as they grasped the {Boosted Gear} in an iron grip, adjusting the fist strike's direction down, down and into Issei's own gut.

Essentially, the blonde had in a blink of an eye, turned Issei's boosted strength against himself in a blur of movement that confounded expectations.

So Issei had knocked his own lights out. Something he would never live down even years later.

Talk about falling on your own sword indeed.

Asia would be quite busy for the next thirty minutes reviving the fallen trio.

"So... How do you guys think you did?" Naruto inquired cheerfully from his perch on the sofa in the living room.

There was an awkward silence from the three ashen-faced people slowly recovering in the sofa facing the blonde.

Naruto turned to face Kiba, deciding to break the increasingly uncomfortable silence.

"Do you know why you couldn't touch me?"

Kiba took a deep breath before sighing. "Because you are even faster?"

Naruto's smile diminished, becoming serious as he lectured the Knight.

"Yes... but actually no. Despite my advantage in speed, your main issue is that you're way too predictable. For all your vaunted speed, it's worthless if your opponent could anticipate and guide you. There were only so many angles and methods you could attack me from, especially when I factored in a slower ally, your preference to the left side, your rigid style and the false openings I created. Well… you know the rest. I'll grade you a C minus."

Kiba bowed his head in acknowledgement. "Thanks, you have given me much to consider."

Here, Naruto scratched his head, laughing awkwardly as he said, "It's mostly training, although to me it's instinctive. Sometimes the smart thing to do is the dumb thing and the dumb thing is the smart thing. Knowing how to balance both takes practice, so don't worry about it, you'll get there." Naruto patted Kiba's shoulder reassuringly.

Rounding on Koneko, he patted her head soothingly, offering her a peanut butter brownie that he had saved from earlier. As she munched slowly on the comfort food, relishing in Naruto's remarkably soothing head pats, Naruto continued his debrief. "C minus like Kiba. You fight with your instincts, which isn't bad in and of itself, but despite polishing it well, your movements are also too predictable. You exemplify he classic rook, using your enhanced strength to charge straight at your foe, your immense hitting power guarantees an instant downer if it hits, but your predictability makes it easy to dodge, especially with your current speed. Despite that, you both worked extremely well together. I'm proud of you both."

And then he turned to Issei, who had remained absolutely silent, knowing that nothing he said could've been of benefit.

"You." Naruto growled, his slitted eyes began to glow an ominous hue.

Issei gulped.

"What were you playing at? I'd have to invent something lower than an F just for you. You need to work on everything, frankly, running in like that was the worst possible decision you could've made. Kiba had to slow down so that you two wouldn't have crashed hard, which led to the downfall of the teamwork between Koneko and him. You alone, caused them to lose formation and get taken out. You rely too much on your sacred gear for power and you don't think hard enough on how to use it properly."

Issei clenched his fist, biting back the rage that threatened to erupt.

"This isn't right, you barely gave me time to prepare." He protested.

"Prepare? You think your enemy is going to sit there and watch you power up? Your gear doubles your power every ten seconds and I just don't have all day." Naruto shrugged and turned around. "Your life as a devil has just started, you have immense potential, you just need to work at it. The objective of this exercise was to see where you stand - and I did - end of story."

''Hey! Don't just walk out like that! Where are you going?''

Naruto stopped and glanced back over his shoulder, his blue eyes blazing in a cold fury, and Issei's body stiffened instinctively, a cold shiver running down his spine. The {Boosted Gear} materialized upon his instinctive recoiling in fear of a superior enemy.

''Listen, buddy. I'm don't feel like arguing with you right now, so don't push your luck. You have nothing to prove anyway, you are what you are, there is no shame in being weak. If you don't like it then train and get stronger, it's really that simple."

The pressure crushing down on Issei eased and Naruto calmly exited the building, vaulting easily over the Academy's walls before disappearing from view.

Issei's gauntlet disappeared and he clenched his fists in impotent fury. Naruto was wrong, he did have something to prove, this was his chance to show Rias that he was strong!

Rias…

Issei looked around for his beloved King, but she remained elusive. Why was she still cooped up in her private chambers? The room was now empty apart from him and Akeno, who had remained silent throughout the debrief, Koneko and Kiba having left after Naruto did.

''Something isn't right…'' Akeno said to herself, bringing Issei's attention to her. ''I should talk with him.''

Issei reached to her but it was too late, the Queen followed Naruto, wings unfurling as she glided gracefully out of the room in pursuit of the blonde.

He frowned and turned back to the now empty club room, today really wasn't his day.

On his way back home, he glanced up at the window of the second floor, only to see Rias looking down blankly. She looked sad, her eyes were puffy and her hair a bit messy.

As if she had been in an argument.

What had happened between Naruto and her?

* * *

**Later**

**With Naruto**

* * *

It was now dark and cold, the sun having long set after the fiasco just now, the dim street lights illuminating Naruto's path as he strolled throughout Kuoh. He'd been roaming around since he left the school without any particular destination in mind, simply retracing the routes engraved in his memory.

Following the wind like he'd done for most of his life.

Kuoh was a strange city, for the peace and overall tranquility of the city was nothing but a facade.

The feeling it gave off wasn't a foreign one, Naruto had felt it before in other cities in different ways, the feeling of fate's machinations.

Something was about to happen, something big, if not now or tomorrow then soon enough.

'_Whatever happens here will somehow relate to Rias and that kid, Issei Hyoudou...'_

He sighed and scratched the back of his head. Old habits die hard.

There was a small park up ahead, poor lighting, two teenagers smoking pot on a wooden bench, a woman in a skimpy outfit nonchalantly posing under a lamppost and a homeless man sleeping on a bench under a tree.

'_Seems like a good place to clear my head…'_

Taking a seat on one of the benches, the farthest from everyone else, he leaned back and stared at the night sky.

'_The sky sure is pretty tonight…'_

He closed his eyes and sank into his seat.

'_That Rias, what the hell is she thinking? With her wedding closing in by the second she's still playing highschool dollhouse with those kids.'_

A cold breeze went by.

'_No, that doesn't feel right, she does know… she's just given up on fighting it and wants to enjoy the little time she has left as an almost-normal girl. That's why she picked Japan of all places. She loves it here, damn Souji all-but turned her into a weeb.'_

He opened his eyes to see that the two teens were leaving with the woman.

'_Rias… you'll be the death of me one day."_

* * *

**4 years back**

* * *

It was a warm night in a small town in Pennsylvania, the north-eastern state in the US. A full moon illuminated the night sky, bathing the town in its benevolent light, without a cloud in the sky to obscure its pure white light.

A young boy quietly walked down the sidewalk alongside the main road of the town, with the moon hanging over his back, illuminating his golden blond hair.

The boy was most peculiar, he wore a small and innocent smile and walked barefooted down the streets, his eyes closed. He wore a black shirt and slacks, sporting a backpack made of the same unassuming colour and un-reflective material.

His name was Naruto Uzumaki.

It was unusual for children his age to be out and about in the streets, especially at the late hour, but he was no ordinary kid and he harbored no fear of the dark. He strolled down the sidewalk with the confidence of a king, fearless and relaxed, head raised high without any shame.

He went with the wind, free like a bird, and the wind had never sent him astray. Not that he had somewhere specific to be, but with nowhere to go back to, the only path remaining was forward, to wherever the wind blew.

The town was quiet, with only a few houses still having their lights on. Besides Naruto, the only others on the street were shady looking people lurking around the alleys. The wind guided Naruto through the urban maze and into a warehouse. The inside of the warehouse was covered in a layer of pitch-black darkness, the metal door was wide open, hanging precariously on a rusted hinge, and there were no guards on the prowl.

Stepping past the threshold, Naruto pierced past the veil of obscuring darkness, revealing steel wires coiled up in large and heavy-looking stacks on the side, emanating the slight scent of iron.

Until Naruto noticed his bare feet get sticky and wet, coated in some semi-liquid substance.

He looked down.

So that was where the stench of iron was emanating from.

Blood.

Lots of it.

It wasn't fresh as it had already coagulated, something that would take roughly half an hour.

An odd thing for a 14 year old child to know, but he knew nonetheless.

There was a lot of blood, spread around in three large pools a distance from each other. But coagulated blood was all there was, no bone or flesh…

Until he looked up.

In between the metal beams holding up the ceiling of corrugated steel, three corpses hung, suspended on twisted metallic wires, with their chest cavities ripped wide open. Their bodies positioned directly above the three pools of blood.

Naruto whistled and raised an eyebrow. "The boys in blue will have fun explaining away this one…"

Footsteps approached from the rear entrance to the warehouse, two separate sets tapping away on the concrete floor, producing a rhythmic echo reminiscent of hard tipped dancing shoes, but worn by a duo with a soft, graceful gait. Likely young and female. The culprits?

Naruto turned to face the source of the footsteps and two girls around his age stepped out of the shadows into a a ray of moonlight piercing through a hole in the roof.

One sported long, elegant raven hair, the other's long locks coloured a fiery crimson. Their eyes shared a faint eerie glow and they wore intricate dresses, black and blue respectively, with the red headed girl adorned with a ruby necklace and a gold bracelet, both likely worth more than a fair sum.

Their eyes widened upon seeing the blood coalesced into three pools, and the blond boy appearing to be around their age standing next to the gory carnage, staring curiously at them. In response, they immediately raised their arms in defense.

Naruto found their reflexive raising of their guards to be cute, but their calm and collected reaction, or the lack of it to be precise, to the corpses unsettling.

"Hi!" He waved at them cheerfully. "I swear I found it like this when I got here."

"I don't trust him." The brunette told the other girl while standing in front of her, arms spread apart protectively.

"He's lying Rias, a boy his age shouldn't even be out here in a place like this at this time."

"Oi! That's rude! I'm standing right here, you aren't so far away that I can't hear you." Naruto pointed at them. "Besides, look whose talking."

"He has a point, Akeno…" the red-head now identified as Rias smiled knowingly, glancing between the two.

"Still, look at him, he's smiling! He's standing in a pool of blood in the middle of a warehouse with a smile like that. That's the definition of alarming, he may as well have come straight from a 80s horror movie." Akeno pointed back at him. "I say we roast him just to be sure - What did you do to the bodies?"

"Okay so first off. I'm always smiling. Second, yeah I can see how being here is somewhat incriminating, but the same can be said for you two. Third, let us not roast the Naruto, a roasted Naruto isn't a delicious one. And lastly they're up there." Naruto pointed upwards to the corpses. "I mean, look at me. How would I be able to get them up there and do all this without getting any blood on me?"

A chunk of liver fell on Naruto's head with a wet splat.

His smile faltered slightly. "I just had to open my big mouth…"

Rias giggled and covered her mouth with a dainty hand.

"Oh, so you think that's funny?" Naruto removed the bloodstained hunk of flesh with the tip of his fingers, flicking it away as he groaned.

She nodded.

"Now who's the strange one for smiling?" Naruto's smile returned to normal. "What are you two anyway? Cause I know you guys aren't human."

Rias' giggling faded away and she was stunned for a second before starting to shake. "D-don't be an idiot! Of course I am. What else would I be?"

Another piece of flesh fell and Naruto sidestepped it.

"That has got to be the worst lie I've ever heard in my life." He deadpanned, leveling a blank, judging stare at the sheepishly blushing redhead.

"It's okay if you aren't human. I know neither of you killed those guys." Naruto pointed up at the suspended corpses as he made his way towards the two. "My name's Naruto and I am uhh… a Naruto. There isn't a name for my species."

Naruto opened his eyes to reveal twin slitted blue eyes, gleaming with a feral light, that dilated after a few seconds.

"Oh, wow." Rias blinked owlishly. "I'm Rias Gremory, she's Akeno Himejima. We're both devils."

She took a deep breath and a thin red aura enveloped her, red, leathery bat-like wings unfurling from her back.

Naruto merely raised an eyebrow dully.

His reaction to to her dramatic reveal, or rather lack of it was… disappointing.

Akeno followed her example, a thin blue aura appeared around her and a pair of wings came out from behind her, one wrapped in smooth velvety feathers of the darkest night, the other a leathery one like Rias'... a curious combination.

Rias pouted and her aura vanished. "Nothing? Akeno, am I doing this right? I even used my aura. Sirzechs-nii said that presentation is everything."

Akeno cancelled her aura. "You did nothing wrong, I think he's met devils before, haven't you?"

"Nope, you two are my first devils. It's just that I've seen lots of weird shit." Naruto corrected cheerfully.

Akeno gave him an judging look. "You have a dirty mouth…"

"So I've been told. Can we continue this chat outside?" Naruto pointed towards the exit with his thumb. "This place reeks."

Rias shook her head. "We have to stay. Got to investigate this place for any clues left behind by the stray that did this."

"Stray?"

"Yeah, a stray is a rogue devil. We caught wind of one lurking here, preying on humans, so we're hunting it down as training."

"Oh, that sounds fun, and explains what you two doing here… but you sure you should be hunting rogues? Sounds dangerous."

"This one shouldn't be too strong, and we got backup if things go too bad."

"Huh? That's lame, if you aren't in any real danger then how will you give it your absolute best?" Naruto sighed and shook his head. "Whatever, any training is better than no training I guess. I can help you find this devil, but not from here."

"You can? How?"

"I can smell blood." Naruto tapped his nose. "Not in here though, the scent of blood is too strong to determine a direction. I'd have to go outside for that."

"Okay then lead the way!"

* * *

**-Present-**

* * *

It was then that they had met and their worlds collided.

The princess that had everything and the orphan that had nothing but his name and the clothes on his back.

"Those were good times, things were simpler back then…"Naruto reflected. His life had always been a mixture of both complications and lull periods of simple problems.

Roaming from place to place, stumbling across the supernatural at every corner, that was his curse.

"Back then it was all fun and games, so I never realised that trouble followed my footsteps wherever I went, like a dog hounding at my heels. Or maybe trouble was always there and I'm just drawn to it… that could be it too."

The same trait that had brought them together on the night where the wind smelled of blood and roses, would be the trait to bring them apart. Rias wanted a peaceful human life and she got it, something nigh-impossible with a supernatural magnet around.

Things would have been just fine if everyday school was the extent of her problems, but her engagement remained looming over her head like the proverbial Sword of Damocles. She wouldn't get out of the situation on her own, too weak and too dependant on others to do it for her, hoping for a last minute saviour to lead her on the path to salvation.

And so it was now up to him to make his decision, after 44 minutes of second time.(1)

To stay and help her prepare for the inevitable conclusion. The final clause of the contract, where at the very last minute, should the two "fiancees" still not see eye to eye, to resolve it all in a final, unofficial Rating Game.

Or to leave it to fate, and do things his way, seizing the opportunity in the US of the missing Olympian Master Bolt, but in the process letting her fend for herself and possibly lose…

Naruto felt that he couldn't just bail her out, it'd be besides the point. The whole reason she couldn't get herself out of it like Sona was that she was too passive to take an initiative and train or do something.

But was the lesson worth it?

Was breaking her heart worth it?

It had to be.

'_Sirzechs won't even dare to interfere directly, that fucking pussy. He hides behind his role as a Maou, making excuses that he can't be biased, but fuck that. As if Serafall even knew the meaning of the word when it came to her sister. Damn sis-cons. Besides, what could they even do to the strongest Super Devil in existence even if he did show favouritism? Banish him? How would they do that? Who would they send to do that? The only other devil that could even stand up to him was Ajuka and they're as thick as thieves, it was common knowledge that wherever Sirzechs went, Ajuka followed. Losing both at once over some ruffled feathers, literally, would be too much to bear.'_

He straightened his back, shook his head and spat on the floor, a contemptuous sneer appearing briefly on his visage.

'_He just doesn't want to stain his image. Lucifer the prideful, a fitting title. They should add "the coward" to it as well... or maybe Grayfia is the one holding him back? Millicas, their son woupd become the Gremory heir in the case of Rias marrying into the Phoenix Clan.'_

A familiar scent wafted into his nose, the scent of ozone.

''Ara, ara, so here you are.'' A woman with a soft yet sultry voice spoke from behind and then sat besides him. ''You are a hard one to find, Naruto.''

''It can't be that hard since you're here now, Akeno…''

''Mou~ you're still the same bully, you haven't changed at all. Just let me have the win and be happy'' Akeno nudged him in the side with her elbow. ''I was worried about you, you were acting really strange back there with the others.''

''I'm fine, you can go back now.''

''Come on~, the fact that you're dismissing me instantly tells me that you aren't 'fine'. I've known you long enough to know that you let Kiba, Issei and Koneko off the hook far too easy. I had beds in the Sitri hospital on standby for those three, but their injuries were all easily fixable by Asia alone.''

A single golden-blonde eyebrow arched and azure eyes turned to face the stubborn, annoyingly perceptive woman.

''I really don't feel like arguing tonight Akeno, just leave me alone and go back to Rias, she needs you right now.''

Akeno blinked, her expression softened. ''Why? Just what happened between you two? Did you two fight? Are you going to leave again? That'd break her heart, she and I, we both missed you so much.''

''I know…" Naruto's smile became somewhat melancholic.

''But you just came back, why do you have to leave again?''

"Because that's how things have to be."

"What kind of answer is that?"

"The truth. I've never lied to you two. And I won't be starting now."

Akeno struggled to suppress the red crawling up her cheeks and the nape of her neck, before she frowned and sat beside him, curling into his warmth. "When are you leaving?"

"Sirzechs gave me a week to wrap things up and say my goodbyes before I' lave the peerage and be made into a rogue."

"W-what?"

Tears built up in Akeno's eyes, her shoulders quivered, and her hands clenched.

"Why?" She cried out, holding Naruto even tighter, as if she could prevent his leaving if she held on long and tight enough.

''Because I have things to do that are very much illegal and I can't do them as a part of the peerage."

Naruto sighed and separated from her

"Rias' marriage to Riser is just around the corner and what are you two doing? Playing at being just being normal humans in highschool? Nobody is doing anything constructive to resolve the situation, you're all sweeping the problem under the carpet, pretending it won't happen when it will! At _best_ it'll come to a rating game, then what? Do you feel ready for that with two rookies that barely know how to fly?''

Akeno flinched with every angry, yet factual accusation in his spiel.

''N-no but if that's the case then you can help us get ready. We can train together, you don't have to leave, you can help us prepare...'' The violet-eyed beauty stammered, struggling to hold back the tears obscuring her vision.

''Only now do you want to start preparing?" Naruto didn't relent, staring down coldly at the tears that slipped down her porcelain cheeks.

Akeno flinched again.

He sighed. He couldn't do this anymore.

Gently leaning forward, he rested his forehead against the smooth skin of hers, a single, long finger coming up to brush away the silvery liquid flowing down Akeno's face, the intimate gesture causing her cheeks to bloom with sudden heat.

"Don't cry." He murmured, "You both know I hate watching the people I treasure the most cry."

The dam broke.

Wailing, Akeno leapt straight into his lap, ignorant of the stares that passers-by leveled at the ensuing scene.

The ebony-haired beauty buried her face into his chest, her tears soaking his white shirt as Naruto wrapped his arms around her thin waist, bringing the sobbing woman closer, resting his chin atop her head, murmuring soothingly at the girl attached to him like a limpet to a rock.

"You've always been such a crybaby, even more than the princess."

Sniffling, Akeno choked out a muffled laugh from her spot in his lap.

"But you both know the the time for that for planning has long passed. Now's the time for action." Naruto shook his shaggy mane of blonde hair, and sad smile appearing on his lips. ''You two really do think alike, don't you? We both know that Rias needs to take control of her own destiny firmly in her hands and stop depending on others to save her."

Akeno raised her head, violet eyes shimmering vulnerably with unshed tears.

"Bu-"

''OI! Dickface!'' A teenage voice yelled from afar making the entwined duo turn to face the voice.

And as just as the emotionally charged moment would reach its climax, a perverted teen came barreling in with a raging bon- gauntlet, eyes alight with righteous fury.

''Great… it's him.'' Naruto sighed and got up, gently unwinding Akeno's tight grip around him, placing the stunned beauty back in her spot on the bench.

The Pawn darted towards them with impressive speed, crossing the distance in two seconds as he launched a devastating punch at the blonde's face.

Despite his improved speed and power, it paled in comparison to Kiba's own. To Naruto, so the brunette might as well have been running in slow motion.

Naruto sidestepped Issei in a blur of movement, extending his foot as Issei careened past the blonde, tripping him up as he lost his balance, before the blonde added to his momentum by giving him a light push on his back.

Issei tumbled forwards, thrown straight into a solid birch tree, nearly knocking his lights out.

''Kid, you're a hundred years too early to even think about challenging me."

"Besides, what on Earth is wrong with you? Running around in the middle of the night with that thing out?"

"I… uh…" Issei looked at the still shocked speechless form of Akeno, whose tear tracks were still obvious, and got up, wincing at the stinging pain rippling down his back.

His anger increasing tenfold from misreading the situation, believing that Naruto

"I'm here to kick your ass!"

There was an awkward silence at the Pawn's declaration.

Naruto deadpanned, leaning casually against a nearby tree as he folded his arms.

"Uh huh… you want to try saying that again? Maybe you should try saying it with more conviction, I'll wait till you actually manage to believe what you're actually saying."

Issei charged again and took another desperate swing.

"Why is it that you want to 'kick my ass'? " Naruto inquired casually, sidestepping as he tripped up the enraged Pawn again. "Or better yet, how do you even plan on doing that?"

"Shut up! You know why!" Issei roared, muffled by the dirt that now filled his mouth.

Picking himself up from the ground, Issei threw another punch that Naruto dodged with ease.

The jewel in his gauntlet shined.

"**BOOST!"**

"Oh boy, you still have lots to learn.… you didn't even put up a barrier to keep the civilians away- he's your puppy Akeno, you're cleaning up his mess."

Akeno groaned, having removed all traces of her emotional weeping earlier, but she knew he was right. Fighting like that out in the open with no barrier was a massive headache already forming.

"Why you… quit pushing her around!"

Finally losing his cool, Naruto caught Issei's gauntlet with his index finger and thumb, stopping all of Issei's momentum with a mere two fingers.

And then he did what he always did.

Finish the fight.

In a flurry of movement, he drilled a punch into Issei's gut, the air in his lungs whooshing out from the force of the blow, before Naruto pivoted around and kicked the back of the Pawn's knees, sending him kneeling helplessly in the dirt. A final flick to Issei's forehead sent him to the floor, his eyelids flickering drunkenly as he struggled to hold on to consciousness after a blow that could have overpowered even Koneko's Rook durability.

"You're beginning to test my patience… I guarantee you, that's not a smart idea. Just go home before you get yourself hurt… "

Staring at the barely conscious brunette, Naruto corrected himself. "Hurt more, I mean."

"You arrogant son of a bitch…" the Pawn mumbled.

"**BOOST!"**

Issei got up with difficulty, swaying drunkenly like a punch-drunk boxer, managing to regain his feet in a feat of pure will that actually grudgingly impressed Naruto.

"You made her cry, even after you took them from me, you son of a bitch!"

Issei yelled, throwing an uppercut so pathetic, Naruto doubted he could even see more than two feet in front of him, Issei's crossed, dilated eyes proving his point as he struggled to even see straight.

Finally losing his patience, Naruto's smile faded away, the mirth and amusement vanishing from his face, leaving behind a cold, steely expression.

One that could freeze an ocean in an instant.

Issei's arm to stopped an inch away from the target. His whole body froze in sudden paralysis.

Naruto's sheer _presence _felt like a massive mountain crushing down on Issei's shoulders, freezing him instantly. He could barely breathe.

Even Ddraig maintained a respectful silence at the sheer _force_ Naruto's presence inflicted on his host.

The blonde pushed the fist enclosed by the gauntlet away with his index finger and crouched down to the frozen Issei's eye level.

"_I would've ripped you into pieces and fed you to Kurama if you weren't a part of my family."_ Naruto whispered in his ear, the threat no... a _vow_ that left no doubt of the sincerity of his words.

Having sufficiently quelled Issei's insubordination, Naruto gently pushed the frozen Pawn back.

Issei fell on his butt with a thump, the pressure and paralysis wearing off as Naruto reigned in his aura.

"This was amusing before but now you're just embarrassing yourself." Naruto extended his hand. "Give up and go home. I'll forget this happened."

Issei looked at his hands and then at Akeno. She was giving him the _look_.

"Issei that's enough, just stop, please."

He slapped Naruto's hand away and got up.

"Wait, why are you looking at me like I'm the bad guy? It's him!" Issei pointed at Naruto with indignation. "He did something to Buchou, she was crying because of him!"

Akeno turned to him. "Is that true, Naruto?"

"Rias and I had a talk, about what we were talking about before he showed up. She wasn't happy." His eyes and expression softened. "Hyoudou Issei, I can see why Rias chose you for the peerage."

"Save it! I don't want to hear your excuses!"

Naruto sighed, the kid was as dense as the gauntlet he wore. There was no point in conversing with someone incapable of listening…

Enough was enough. He had tolerated the kid's antics for long enough, his patience fraying at the edges, Naruto vanished right before their eyes, only to appear behind Issei, delivering a vicious chop to the back of his neck, sending him to the welcoming embrace of unconsciousness as Issei's brown eyes rolled up into his head.

"_You got a good heart kid, just need to get your head out of your ass and stop thinking with your dick."_

"You didn't need to knock him out…" Akeno frowned slightly while looking at the unconscious form of Issei.

"Can't talk with someone that won't listen. Dragging it out would've been pointless." Naruto grabbed Issei by the shirt and flung him over his shoulder. "A team is only as strong as its weakest link. He'll be the end of you and me."

"He isn't that bad…"

Naruto rolled his eyes. "You're right, he's worse and I'm not talking about just his pervertedness. He's immature, thinks with his nothing but his dick, and has no battle awareness or instincts. We know how Rias is, when things go south she'd take his place and bail him out, and as poetic as self-sacrifice is, it shouldn't be the first option."

"That's a pessimistic view…"

"It might be, but it's how things are, I've seen it too many times to fall for it again. It's nice and cute for everyone to be dependent on one another, but the more intricate the clock then the easier it is to smash it to pieces, one faulty clog is all it takes."

Akeno shifted her eyes trying to find the right words, but before anything came out, he continued.

"Which is why we'll have to make this week count if I am to whip you lot into shape before I take my leave."

"Wha- me too?"

"Yep, all of you. And when we start you're gonna wish I left…" Naruto turned around and left with the unconscious Issei, easily carrying the knocked out brunette over his shoulder as he casually gestured to the crater Issei had been beaten into. "You're in charge of clean up now. Good luck erasing the memory of everyone that saw him with the {Boosted Gear} out before they start posting it on the internet…"

Akeno groaned in dismay, it was just her luck that something like this would happen.

* * *

\- **Chapter end** -

* * *

**(1) - **Is a Brazilian saying of Football/Soccer of when you want to do something at last minutes that you didn't do the entire game.

**I don't bash characters, not even Issei, he's a perv and an idiot but mostly harmless. Issei is very immature and prone to jealousy which is why he antagonizes Naruto and clashes with him on this chapter Which will leave me room to work, evolve him, work on his character. But hey, Naruto at some point has fought almost every friend his.**

**Naruto likes Issei, he likes the whole peerage despite not truly knowing most. He's seen a lot and suffered losses so he's strict when it comes to strength and training.**

**I will post two weeks or so, with chapters of around this size between this and my other story. **


	2. Act 1 Part 2: Impact

**We managed to recruit someone!**

**Danga: Hey Lux Invictus! How are you! And Great Stalin! This chapter is double its length as the first one!**

**Lux: This is what you get when your first chapter just inspires a reader to hop in on the bandwagon. Or the hype train. Whatever. Glad to be a part of this journey with my talented fellow writers. It's gonna be a wild ride.**

**Mini: I changed the story cover, drew it myself and preferred it over previous.**

**Story Start!**

* * *

"Smart people learn from their mistakes. But the real sharp ones learn from the mistakes of others."

-Brandon Mull

* * *

It had been a long night for Rias, having spent it tossing and turning amidst the silk sheets of her bed. Her usual peaceful slumber had remained elusive no matter what she tried. Even the usual solution of indulging in some warm milk had failed to lull her to sleep and so she remained awake till the sun's first rays peeked out over the horizon and illuminated her room.

It was now dawn, the cloudless sky on full display as Rias sipped lightly at a flask of aromatic coffee prepared by her dutiful Queen, who had wisely avoided commenting on her bloodshot eyes as her King gradually regained her usual graceful, yet lively self.

She, Naruto and the rest of the peerage sans a certain dhampir were climbing up a steep mountain, situated in an uninhabited piece of land deep within the territory of the Gremory clan.

Their destination was the cottage atop its peak, where the entire peerage would be staying for the duration of their training.

Despite the fresh scent of morning dew, the air stank of brooding conflict.

The source of it was obvious enough: Issei.

The perverted Pawn seemed gloomy and downtrodden, dragging his feet reluctantly behind him, his drooping eyes and hanging head reminiscent of a kicked puppy. The only thing missing from the ensemble was a thundercloud hovering above him, dispensing more misery upon the poor sop.

'He must still be shaken up from last night…' Rias mused, her crimson locks swaying slightly in the gentle breeze as she trailed behind him.

Naruto, not knowing where to drop him off, had brought him back to the club to find out where he lived. Which led to an amusing conversation about why Issei was knocked out and unceremoniously draped over the shoulders of his fellow peerage member.

She found it cute that he had stood up for her without hesitation, no matter how misguided he had been.

Naruto and Akeno were both blatantly disregarding the incident and moving on as if nothing had happened, but Issei was taking it hard.

'I should talk with him.'

Rias approached the young devil, striding to close up the gap, determined to dispel the dissonance amongst her subordinates before it got worse. It was her duty as a King to keep her peerage united, but it was mainly due to her deep affection and care for all those under her command that made such discord unbearable.

It was precisely because of this heartfelt concern that caused a slight frown of disapproval to mar her features when Rias spotted her wayward Pawn glaring daggers at Naruto's broad back, mumbling unflattering words under his breath.

"Hey Issei, how are you holding up?"

"Huh? Me?" the newly reincarnated devil turned to face her, his visage regaining some of the life and animatedness that exemplified the usual Issei.

"Yes you." Rias giggled, her tinkling, musical laughter lifting up his somber mood instantly.

"You seemed distant, penny for your thoughts?"

"Oh nothing, really just thinking about mom and dad…" Issei fumbled nervously, fingers unconsciously adjusting the straps of his backpack as his eyes darted about shiftily.

Rias' smile disappeared, a slight frown appearing on her lips. "That's the first lie you've ever told me."

"I-um-we…" Issei stammered, unable to deny the accusation, before he gave up and stopped beside Rias, whose brilliant smile returned, albeit slightly toned down.

"Relax Issei. you're not in trouble." She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I already know what happened."

A potent mixture of fear, guilt, embarrassment and anger flashed through Issei's eyes before he stared at his feet, unable to meet his King's unwavering gaze.

"Of course you do…" He muttered, disheartened.

"He didn't have a choice, I made him tell me," She traced her delicate-looking fingers through his smooth brown locks soothingly.

"He popped up in the club without warning, you know, with you lying comatose on his shoulder, asking where you lived. Of course I needed to know the story behind that."

"It's just... I couldn't stand seeing you like that… he…" Issei's brown eyes blazed with sudden life as he struggled to find the right words, his anger at the perceived injustice flaring up.

"He does feel like a prick sometimes doesn't he?" Rias sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose in exasperation, as she acknowledged her Pawn's honestly endearing expression of his worry for her.

"Yeah…" Issei mumbled under his breath, his mood darkening, the metaphorical cloud now hurling bolts of lightning at his battered psyche.

Rias spotted a decently sized flat rock nearby and proceeded to sit on it, arranging her ruffled skirt neatly around her crossed legs.

Looking at her wayward pawn practically pouting as he stood there, fingers latched onto his backpack straps, she smiled enticingly as she patted the spot beside her.

"Have a seat, I have a story to tell you."

Far ahead, Akeno, who had noticed the duo beginning to lag further behind, arched a perfectly formed eyebrow in inquiry before Rias waved her on, the Queen proceeding to usher the rest of the peerage onwards with the arduous climb.

Issei, not wasting the opportunity to get close to his gorgeous King, quickly stepped forth and sat down. It wasn't so big, and Rias had occupied most of it, so his half his butt was hanging off, even with the sides of their thighs already grazing each other.

Before he could adjust himself, Rias began her tale.

"Once upon a time, there was a young bird, growing up on a tree in a farm. It had lived a happy life ensconced safely in a solid nest perched amongst the tree's highest branches, well protected and fed by its parents. Time passed, and properly taken care of, the now older bird had yet to learn how to fly. As its appetite grew, the bird's aging parents could no longer provide for it and its younger chicks, and the bird had to learn how to fly to feed itself. But by then cruel, merciless Winter had arrived, and when the bird finally spread its wings and jumped from its nest, it could only fall."

Rias paused, glancing at Issei to see him matching her gaze resolutely, completely enthralled by the gripping tale, feeling it resonate deeply within him.

"What happened next?"

"It fell and fell and with a dreadful impact, it finally hit bottom, breaking its already underdeveloped wings. Try as they might, the young bird's aged parents could not even lift it off the ground. Unable to leave the rest of their young undefended, the bird's parents reluctantly left the grounded bird behind to its fate… but then a cow came by and pooped on the bird! Despite the filth, the warm dung provided the trapped bird respite from the unforgiving, biting cold."

Rias leaned back, cerulean eyes drifting upwards to gaze at the cloudless blue sky above in reminiscence as she continued.

"The bird was so happy that it had cheated certain death that it sang and sang… but it's melodic chirps brought about a hungry predator in the form of a housecat. The hungry cat, ecstatic at its locating of dinner, plucked the helpless bird from the dung, cleaned it up and took it home, then devoured the little bird."(1)

"Thats… dark." Issei clenched his fists. There had been no happy ending to that particular tale.

"It is. But the real question is, what's your take from the tale?"

Issei furrowed his brows and scrunched his face in thought. "Lets see… the bird should've prepared more before taking the leap?"

"That's one way of seeing it. You see, this story has several lessons, that's just one of them," Rias got up, brushing down her skirt as she gave him a toothy grin.

"Listen Issei, not everyone who puts you down is your enemy. Like the story, the cow's dung, no matter how disgusting or degrading, helped keep the bird alive. And like the cat that took it out and ate it, sometimes those who get you out of crappy situations don't always have the best intentions for you. Naruto can't treat you well because he has to keep you alive, he has to be harsh, critical and unforgiving, so that you can see your flaws for what they are and improve yourself. It's a bad situation, but you have to bear with it."

"..." Issei contemplated her words in silence, an uneasy look on his face.

"I'll let you think about it, but come, we have to catch up with the rest." Rias smiled softly, offering a hand to the boy, who was taking his first steps on the road to becoming a man.

* * *

**-Later-**

**-In the cottage-**

* * *

"Good of you to finally join us." Naruto remarked offhandedly as the brown haired boy arrived with Rias in tow.

Closing the polished oaken door, the pair settled in the nearest unoccupied couch in the finely furnished living room of the cottage.

Being the Heiress of the noble Gremory clan had many perks.

Perks like having full access to the extensive resources of a clan which survived the Great War, a feat not many others could claim, and had prospered after the tumultuous Civil war between the Old and New Satan Factions. It helped to have the undisputed leader of said war, and now the entire Devil faction be a former Gremory. Huge swathes of territory in the Underworld now bore allegiance to the Gremory line, including the well-maintained cottage situated atop the peak of an isolated mountain range far from civilisation.

It was in this remote pocket of nature that the peerage now found themselves, with the clock ticking and nearing for Rias' freedom the challenge to decide their freedom was closing in and time was not on their side.

And so Issei wilted under the weighty stares of the entire peerage, whom had already unpacked and gotten ready while waiting on their arrival.

He could only shrug awkwardly as he ran his fingers through his brown locks, mumbling a hasty apology.

"Sorry… I got lost…"

Naruto gazed blankly at Issei, his expression unreadable.

"Whatever. What matters is that you're here now. The time wasted is your loss anyway."

Issei winced at the barely veiled rebuke. Harsh, critical and unforgiving indeed.

Proceeding on without any further delay, Naruto clapped his hands and declared cheerfully.

"Alright! You guys are a team, a peerage, and you all depend on one another right?"

They nodded, despite feeling that a 'but' was coming due to his excessively cheerful tone.

"A team is only as strong as its weakest link."

Here, the blonde paused, leveling a cheeky smirk at Issei, whose teeth grinded audibly at the blatant insult.

"That's why everyone had to wait for you," Briskly resuming his pep talk, Naruto walked over to Issei, poking him on his chest, with a challenging expression gracing his face. "But from tonight onwards everything will change."

'Screw the helpful dung! This is just bullshit!' Issei was barely restraining himself from lashing out, pissed off at Naruto's constant jabs to his self-esteem and worth to the peerage, although a small part of him agreed with Naruto.

Naruto glanced down at Issei's trembling fists and then back up at his twitching brow for a moment, before he arched an eyebrow and scoffed lightly before turning around.

"You don't like me, that's fine. I don't need you to like me, I need you to survive. For as strange as it may seem, now that you're a part of this peerage, of this family, which makes you my idiotic little brother. And I'll do whatever it takes to make sure you don't get your dumb ass killed." Naruto returned to where he was previously. "Which is why I brought you here, to prepare."

"Prepare for what?" Koneko mumbled, her teeth stained with the cookies she was casually snacking on as she hugged a half-empty box of chocolate chip cookies possessively to her chest.

Naruto was tempted to see if he could snatch one away from her stash, but discarded the ill-thought out idea, Koneko guarded her snacks zealously, especially when it came to her treasured Belgian chocolates.

"It's… a secret!" Naruto grinned as he grabbed a nearby straight-backed chair, spun it around and plopped down on it. "You've all gotten soft, and I'm short on time to train you, so the kid gloves are off. During the course of this week, you will endure pain of which you've never believed possible, and experience horror of the kind you've never imagined. You'll hate me and curse me but you will obey me, because Rias has placed me in command for this week."

The peerage members all spun around to look at Rias for confirmation.

"Buchou… he can't be serious right?" Issei asked, leaping to his feet in disbelief, his brown eyes beseechingly searched for any signs that this was just a sick prank.

Rias' solemn face however, could've been etched from granite, as she crossed her arms firmly, corroborating Naruto's bold claim with a steely gaze.

"I gave Naruto full control for this week. Follow every order and instruction from him as you would do for me."

Issei's legs gave out under him and he crashed back down onto the sofa in shock, his eyes darting frantically between his King and Naruto, who now sported an insufferably smug grin as he leaned casually against a nearby wall, arms crossed atop his chest.

Naruto cleared his throat, bringing their attention back to him.

"That's right, for this entire week you're all my bitches, this is the gulag and I'm fuckin Stalin! So take an hour to get settled and freshen up in the lake behind us because training will start right away. We've run out of time to burn." (1D)

All eyes immediately turned to Rias in perfect sync, pleading desperately for salvation from their impending doom.

"You heard him."

Rias snapped her fingers.

"Get moving."

Any semblance of resistance instantly vanished from the loyal group as they nodded and dispersed into their respective rooms in the cottage, leaving Naruto and Rias alone in the living room.

"This is going to be a long week…" Naruto muttered under his breath before turning to Rias who was staring at him curiously. "Four days of prep isn't close to being enough to get them ready. But it'll have to do."

* * *

**-Last Night-**

**(Flashback)**

* * *

"You sure there isn't another way?"

Naruto and his King were alone in the main room of the Occult Research Club's personal building situated on the outskirts of Kuoh Academy.

His spiky locks were ticking Rias' sensitive thighs as he rested his head on her legs, hands pillowed behind it as his King ran her fingers through his untamed blond hair.

"Not that I can think of. I recognize I'm not all that smart like you and Sona but it's the best plan I got." Naruto admitted freely, the airy smile confirming her worries.

"Any backup plans?"

"Nope. You know me, it's all or nothing, maximum effort!" Naruto flexed both arms upwards with a grin.

Rias stifled a giggle and slapped his chest. "Stop messing around, I'm serious! Aren't you scared? You could die."

His wide, toothy grin gradually morphed into a small melancholic smile the change in mood.

"I could. But at least I'll die free. I don't fear death when doing something I believe in." He shifted his steely gaze from the ceiling to her. "Do you feel free?"

Rias blinked.

"What kind of question is that?"

"The kind that isn't meant to attack you. Do you feel free?"

Rias became pensive, her eyebrows furrowed, her azure gaze drifting off into nothingness as she contemplated the sudden question.

"I'm not sure, I suppose sometimes I do. Other times I don't. Why you ask?"

"I've thought a lot about the subject while I was away. Reincarnated devils are sworn into service of higher-ranked nobles, the only thing keeping us docile is that rebellion would render us easy pickings for the numerous factions that already hate the Devils, especially with the removal of Devil protection and resources."

Naruto clicked his teeth.

"Although I'm only talking about the state of the system in general and how badly it treats reincarnated devils. The Devil Nobles aren't all bad. You, for example, you're alright."

"I'm alright?" She raised an eyebrow. "I let you roam free around the world undisturbed, I'm not 'alright' I'm fantastic."

"Sure you are." Naruto rolled his eyes, amusement dancing about his azure orbs.

"My point is that from what I see, you're in a pretty similar situation to us. Although you live in a much fancier cage. Think about it, like kings own their peerage, your parents own you."

"They don't own me." Rias protested immediately at his ridiculous accusation.

"Then explain how they could marry you off just like that without taking into account your wishes?"

"Um, they, we-" Stunned, she stammered, unable to refute the facts being thrust at her, having lost her usual composure.

Naruto moderated his tone, the truth was a harsh thing. He hated watching as his King's calm facade collapsed around her as he forcibly removed her rose-tinted lenses coloring her perception of reality.

"They own you, that's the truth. Everyone else is going with the flow, your brother, Riser, even you."

"That's not true, Sirzechs can't do anything because he's a Maou and he has to be impartial to all devils, he can't be biased.." She protested, leaping to the defense of her annoying, but still beloved brother.

"Pfft." Naruto snickered.

"Sirzechs is a, no-" he corrected himself.

"He is the Super Devil, who would they send to stop him? Ajuka? His best friend and war buddy? Who else would, or even could stand against him? Besides, speaking about biases and impartiality, do you think Serafall even knows the meaning of the word when it comes to her darling 'So-tan'?"

They both shuddered in unison before descending into barely suppressed giggles at the plight of Kuoh's Student Council President.

Elsewhere, Sona's ears twitched and she put down her fountain pen, pinching the bridge of her delicate nose. Someone was talking about her behind her back again. She could only pray that it wasn't her dreaded sister embarrassing her in public again.

Naruto, serious again, placed a reassuring hand on Rias' shoulder. "There could be several complicated reasons for him not interfering, but there's no point in speculating."

"..."

Naruto got up from his comfortable place on his King's lap, walking around her to the back of the sofa, before laying both hands on her soft shoulders.

"I'm not telling you he's the enemy, cause he isn't. Even Riser isn't, he's just a daddy's boy riding on his family's wealth and power. Your parents are marrying you to him, the weakest of his brothers. Actions speak louder than words, and I think that says a lot about how much they value you," Naruto gently massaged her shoulders, eliciting a muffled moan as her stress melted away under his tender care.

Leaning forward so that his breath blew gently against her sensitive right ear he whispered.

"So I ask again, do you feel free?"

Shivering at the tingling sensations dancing down her spine, Rias could only stammer breathily.

"N.. Nooo…"

"Then do you want to be?" Naruto enunciated softly, but with a hint of steel in his tone.

Rias did not hesitate, her deeply buried desire surging forth.

"Yes."

"Then you will be." Naruto whispered. No, he vowed.

It was a promise. And he never broke them.

Ever.

"Okay then." Naruto began, as he slid his hands up Rias' slender neck from her shoulders, the balls of his thumbs kneading into her tensed muscles, eliciting a sigh of relief as her knots unraveled.

"For starters let's do things my way. I need you to think hard about this problem and try to discover the answer on your own. Find out what are the obstacles denying you your freedom."

"Is it Riser? Your parents?"

Here he paused, resting his chin atop her crimson locks.

"Or is it your own inaction?"

"Figure it out. When you do, then I'll be there with you."

Rias murmured quietly and hesitantly, her muddled thoughts and feelings clouding her usual clarity.

"You promise?"

Naruto smiled.

"Always."

And so the seeds of growth were planted. In time, they would grow. And the world would become a different place.

"Now… you won't like this but there's one last thing you need to know…"

* * *

**-Present-**

* * *

Rias took a seat besides Naruto on the steps of the cottage veranda. He seemed the same as always, relaxed posture that portrayed an utter lack of tension in his body along with a large cocky smile. But what few noticed were his calm cerulean orbs that constantly, discreetly scanned his surroundings for threats, cataloging potential vectors of assault and paths of retreat.

It had always been difficult to tell what went on that head of his, especially when he was angry or upset.

"This plan of yours… are you truly certain in your decision to walk down this path, Naruto? There's no going back after this starts." Rias quietly spoke, unwilling to disturb the peaceful atmosphere outside the cottage. The rest of the peerage, having packed everything they needed, were about to set off for the lake.

Naruto remained quiet, choosing to bask in the sounds of vibrant life hidden behind the cover of the foliage around the cottage; birds chirping, bushes rustling as nature's creations went about another day.

"Funny you should say that Rias… I remember saying something similar last night," Naruto chuckled as he finally spoke, a single slitted eye peeking out from behind the spiky blonde curtain that was his hair.

A confident, cocky grin gracing his visage, he declared without a hint of hesitation.

"I don't pull out, babe. I'm a Naruto of commitment and you can bet your glorious ass on that."

Pink tinged her porcelain skin as hot, hot blood rushed to her cheeks at the sudden, yet completely sincere compliment.

Rias blushed so hard she prayed steam didn't explode from her now scarlet ears.

Naruto merely snickered as she smacked his head frantically with her delicate-looking palms in a failed bid to hide her embarrassment. His King acted like a calm, collected Heiress and idol so often, she often forgot that she was still a young girl on the cusp of adulthood, leaving the task of loosening her up to Akeno and him. She rarely showed that side of her anymore, with all the troubles and stresses that came with being the Gremory Heiress and co-leader of her territory. He had missed that rarely-displayed side of Rias that she revealed to almost no one else.

Coming out of his introspective mood, he patted her head reassuringly, before reminding her of the tasks that remained on the agenda.

"Speaking of which, you might want to go take a bath in the lake with the rest to lose your scent, we'll be doing 'Fry and Seek' so… yeah."

"Oh. Right…" Rias shuddered as traumatic memories, barely suppressed, returned with a vengeance in her mind.

She quickly got up, rushing up to her room to get ready. This wasn't going to end well. For any of them.

'Fry and Seek', a terrifyingly sadistic game that was either cathartic or traumatizing depending on which side you stood.

"Heh, I think we should get ready too then Kurama." Naruto smirked, stowing his hands in the orange hoodie he sported.

The blonde stood and stretched, working out the kinks in his back with a few satisfying 'cracks'.

The small clearing in front of the Gremory cottage darkened suddenly, despite the bright rays of the morning sun blazing down.

The air seemed colder.

The vegetation around the clearing vibrated slightly as the nearby wildlife fled from the early warning system that comprised the survival instincts that evolution had been developing for millennia.

Primal fear.

Seemingly unbothered by the change in atmosphere, Naruto spun about to enter the cottage to gather some supplies.

Before he paused with one foot past the threshold of the cottage door.

"Kurama?"

There was now absolute silence in the once bustling clearing filled with life.

Naruto wore a dastardly, toothy grin that bared his polished white teeth like an apex predator baring its fangs.

"Do try not to kill anyone, alright? I'm quite fond of them."

It was then that a thrumming echoed through the forest around the cottage.

Sheer bloodlust.

**N̵̨̞̯̗̙͖̘͑̽̎̏O̵̡̻͖̭̠̥͉̗͑̄͐̾̊́ ̷̦͎̅̿̉͆ͅP̷͔̝͇̟̾͊̔̾̈́̈͠R̷͎͚̝̼̪̪̫͗̋̐̀̀̚Ŏ̵̢͈͉͖̈͑̅͌̋͆͒͠M̶̘͔̣̮̮̄̋͑̀͝Í̷̬̬͉͎̞̲̳S̶̘͚̙̻͐Ḙ̴̲̘̝̠͖̊͐̔̚ͅS̵͚̺̈̊̀̐͘**

* * *

**At the lake**

* * *

Issei had decided. Whatever slight, insult or outright torture Naruto leveled at him, all was forgiven.

Because the blonde had decreed that the peerage was to freshen up at the lake.

Together.

The disgusted glare Koneko had thrown at him when she realised the implications of that particular order had made him feel like a worm who should've been crushed under her heel and grinded underground.

But the petite Rook was powerless to question the order that Naruto, who was now firmly in charge, had given to freshen up in the lake.

Together.

And so Issei could now die happy.

Ddraig had simply given up and retired into the Boosted Gear as Issei went to his happy place. The host of the Welsh Dragon hadn't known where to look first, his brown eyes bulging at the glorious feast before him. Matsuda and Motohama would've died from envy had they known the view that he was now frantically carving into fond memory.

For perusal.

At a later date.

Akeno hadn't hesitated once she reached the lake's shores, immediately stripping till not a shred of clothing remained on her perfect form. The sensual Queen had then sashayed slowly and enticingly into the crystal clear lake water, till only the tips of her long ebony hair, tied up into a bun atop her head, remained above water.

Before she stood back up, simultaneously untying her hair and flinging it back in slow motion in a glorious shower of sparkling water droplets and flying black locks even as the sun's warm rays illuminated her immaculate form perfectly.

And thus Issei died happy. Crimson liquid gushing from his nostrils as he plunged backwards towards the hard granite beside the lake.

Right into Kiba's welcoming arms.

Clad in nothing but a speedo, the Knight smiled good naturedly, as he comforted Issei in his usual lilting, calm voice.

"Don't worry, Issei-san. I've got you."

And he smiled.

His perfect teeth glimmering in the morning light.

And Issei came back from the grasping, welcoming darkness of unconsciousness from blood loss.

Unwillingly.

But there was no way he was going to spend even a second longer in his fellow male's arms. No matter how much the girls at the academy would've squealed and fainted after witnessing such a tender BL scene.

He leapt out of Kiba's reach, demonstrating speeds akin to Kiba's Knight abilities in his sheer desperation to get away from such an incriminating display.

"Stay AWAY!" He roared in barely repressed fear.

"I'm hurt. Do you truly hate me that much?" Kiba pouted.

Pouted.

And Issei screamed in unadulterated horror.

Only to collapse when a fist sized piece of granite was flung into the side of his head.

At mach speed.

"Thanks, Yuuto-senpai. You can stop distracting him now."

Issei blearily opened his brown eyes from where he had been sent sprawling by the pure kinetic force of Koneko's brutal attack.

"NOOO!" He had missed Koneko and Asia stripping to their swimsuits and entering the water when he was distracted by Kiba.

The enraged pawn tackled the serenely smiling Knight into the water, his perverse nature granting him immense speeds once again to wreak vengeance for this stolen chance to admire the perfection of the female form that his compatriots exemplified.

Holding the still smiling knight in a brutal headlock, Issei yelled with fury as he tossed the helpless-looking bishounen around in the cool water, releasing his pent-up emotions as he forced Kiba's head underwater as penance for his grievous sin.

"Ara ara~ I didn't know Issei was into that? And even has such advanced techniques?"

Akeno breathily declared, a single hand coming up to caress her porcelain cheek as she watched the two males roughhouse in the water.

"WHAT? NO! WE'RE NOT LIKE THAT!" Issei frantically denied her slanderous accusation.

Akeno laughed.

From up above, Rias smiled at the endearing sight of her peerage engaging in a bit of fun and games. They had all been stressed out recently, with the clock ticking and so much work to be done. Naruto had clearly thought ahead to include some downtime before the real work began, to let off some steam and de-escalate the tension that had been building up.

The King was perched on a granite cliff overlooking the lake as she watched her family prance about in the glistening waters of the lake. Being late to the party, she had chosen not to take the longer stone pathway down to the lake from the cottage at the top, but instead take a shortcut through some woods to reach this cliff.

Well, she couldn't let her peerage have all the fun, could she?

Materialising her familiar to take her towels and clothes off to the shoreline where the rest had dumped theirs, Rias stripped quickly and leapt off the cliff, her glorious body angling down before curling up as she crashed into the embrace of the lake's cool, soothing waters.

"Cannonball!" She screamed delightedly, throwing her soaked crimson locks over a shoulder as she created a huge wave which splashed all over Akeno's face, causing her to spit out the water she had accidentally swallowed as she leveled a deadly glare at her smirking King.

"Buchou…" Koneko hissed in barely suppressed irritation as the massive wave had sent the significantly shorter Rook underwater, along with a now pouting former nun.

"Get her!" Akeno yelled as the trio dogpiled their laughing King, sending the Crimson Ruin Princess underwater.

And so the six members of the peerage relaxed, splashed about and play-fought in the lake's cool waters as the sun began its slow ascent up past the horizon towards its peak in the skies.

Nobody mentioned the hour Naruto had given them. They hadn't forgotten about it, but they were having so much fun that no one wanted to be the spoilsport that interrupted the fun to check the time.

At last, Rias, tired out from wrestling Akeno who was exacting revenge for making her swallow so much water, got out and summoned two towels, wrapping them around her chest and her hair.

"Buchou, what kind of training we going to be doing later?" Issei came out of the lake after Rias, clad in blue swimming trunks as he did his best to avoid staring at her barely concealed body.

He'd had enough good memories for a lifetime after watching Kuoh Academy's two 'Great Onee-samas' wrestle in the lake.

Naked.

Issei really had to thank Naruto for his ingenious idea.

On to more serious topics.

As he toweled his brown locks dry, Issei turned to his King.

"Buchou, what training are we doing later?"

Rias hummed, placing a long finger on her chin, searching her memory for recollection of what Naruto had told her before she came down.

"Hmm, today we're doing... Fry and Seek."

In the lake, Akeno whom was still massaging Koneko's hair, jolted upon hearing that name. "We're what now?"

Issei tilted his head in confusion, resembling an adorable puppy. "What's Fry and Seek?"

"Fufufu~ It's a game we used to play all those years ago. Rias, Naruto and I had our version of hide and seek, albeit one with magic. It was both for fun and for training purposes. Fufufu~ it's so enjoyable to be it."

Akeno reminisced on a fond memory, a trademarked sadistic smile decorating her beautiful features as she placed a long finger on her succulent red lips.

"Whoever was 'IT' would pursue and hunt down the rest, assaulting them with magic! Game lasts 10 minutes more for every target, in our case an hour. Ahhh~~~ Rias' screams were so very delicious…" Her little pink tongue darted out and moistened her lips, causing shudders in both Rias and Issei, although for very different reasons.

Shaking his head to get rid of the rapidly forming fantasy his subconscious was constructing, Issei protested.

"But I can't use magic yet…"

"Then you better run fast," Akeno turned to Rias. "You know, you really should have mentioned this earlier, then I would have been better prepared…"

Realization struck Akeno like the element she had dominion over.

A blush slowly crept up the nape of Rias' neck as her Queen leveled a dull stare at her.

"Erm. I forgot?" Rias smiled sheepishly.

There it was, Rias' bad habit to procrastinate, delay and forget about things. Akeno sighed and dropped her face into a raised palm. It made her job as her Queen a full-time one.

"Right, sorry. I was going to but then… we were having so much fun that I… forgot.."

Attempting to change the topic in a bid to hide her embarrassment, she averted her gaze from the blunt, judging gazes of her entire peerage.

"Let's get ready now, Naruto could pop up at any moment."

"What? It's already been an hour?" Akeno glanced up at the sun's position, shading her violet eyes from the glare with a single hand as she calculated a rough estimate of the time that had passed while they were having fun in the lake.

She paled.

"Oh no~~~"

Akeno hurriedly scooped up an adorably confused Asia before speeding to shore with Kiba and Koneko right behind. With a quick burst of heat from a magic circle, she dried off her long hair, twisting it into a bun to avoid it being caught when fleeing later, wincing at the damage such a shortcut would do to her beloved ebony locks. As she hurriedly wriggled into a black tracksuit left on shore, she warned the others.

"Naruto always always means what he says. If he says an hour, it means an hour. We're all out of time."

"What should we do?" Kiba whipped his wet hair backwards and out of his face as he rapidly changed into the well-fitted tracksuit issued by Naruto, a traditional European longsword materialising in the ground next to him, its tip buried into the soil.

"We should get dry and scatter. This place is too open, we're sitting ducks here." Rias muttered worriedly as her azure eyes scanned along the treelines for any signs of her blonde subordinate, now trainer.

Something was wrong.

Dread, heavy and bitter was weighing down in her gut, her instincts were screaming at her to flee.

Was this fear?

"Buchou…" Rias' Rook pulled lightly at her sleeve.

"Yes? Koneko, what is it?"

Golden eyes looked up at Rias' cerulean orbs in sudden trepidation.

"Where have all the animals gone?"

"Dammit" Akeno swore.

And Issei's jaws dropped. The normally calm and mildly sadistic grace of the Peerage Queen was shattered as her distressed expression only displayed pure, unadulterated terror.

The vegetation surrounding the lake, previously bustling with camouflaged life, was now deadly quiet. No movement, sound, or any signs of life. An oppressive silence hung in the air.

No birds chirped at one another from their havens amongst the branches.

No squirrels or wildlife scampered up and down the oak trunks.

Bushes no longer rustled with the small signs of life as animals passed by.

Just absolute silence.

And not one amongst the six had noticed this change till now.

The heavy weight of pure dread settled in the guts of all present.

"It can't be. Not again." Akeno clutched at the sides of her body, shuddering slightly as barely repressed memories returned to the fore.

"What is it?" Issei exploded. The atmosphere was suddenly cold and unwelcoming, the sun's rays no longer giving out its pleasant, warming heat on his skin. It was making him twitchy.

**[Silence.]**

Ddraig snarled. Issei froze. Ddraig had never sounded so agitated before. Not even when he was facing mortal peril.

**[Something is here. Something that shouldn't exist.]**

**[An abomination.]**

And the ground trembled.

The rich soil beneath their feet rumbled and creaked, rocks grinding against one another in dissonance. Aftershocks to some impact further away. Sandy particles rose up as a small dust cloud, agitated by the sudden tremor. Kiba's longsword was dislodged from its perch, and swayed before toppling onto the ground with a final thud.

And then there was that perfect, dreadful silence.

Blood drained rapidly from the now unhealthily pale faces of Rias and Akeno.

In eerie synchronicity, they whispered.

"It's here."

Panicking as fear marred the expression of his seniors, Issei asked, desperate for some answers.

"What is?"

"Kurama."

With a massive pulse of roiling eldritch energy, a pitch black barrier, tinged with swirls of a toxic green energy erupted over the horrified peerage.

Power.

This was what it really looked like.

The barrier's formation created a crushing pressure weighing down on Rias and her companions, sending poor Asia to her knees before she was pulled back up by Issei.

The pure black barrier completed its formation, with the lake at the center of its hemispherical shape, coils of foreign energy flickering along its circumference. The barrier was ten miles wide, with a radius of five miles from the centerpoint of the lake, its opaque surface completely blocking out the sun's warmth and light.

Instead an eerie unholy green light bathed the surroundings, flickering periodically, making the previously bright and welcoming vegetation appear dark and foreboding, casting monstrous shadows around the forest floor.

Issei whimpered.

And then it appeared.

A roiling mass of unholy energy appeared, perfectly suspended over the lake's surface. Tendrils of energy, coloured in varying hues of the purest of black, to a toxic, dark green. Even as the mildly spherical mass roiled in fury and trembled, the water it hovered over was unmoving.

The lake was perfectly, unnaturally still.

No ripples, waves or any form of movement, resembling a picture perfect mirror, creating a perfect reflection of the now wildly spinning ball of eldritch power.

Frothing with barely suppressed energy, the sphere grew bigger. And thicker.

Till it ceased all movement.

Issei whispered, horrified.

"My God."

The pain from invoking the lord's name barely registered on the stunned devils rooted helplessly to the spot.

And then the perfect orb imploded, sending all six spectators to their knees.

The massive explosion blasted past their fallen forms, energy radiating out as the lake finally reacted, massive waves soaking all around the lake, as trees and bushes gave way to the inexorable tide of pure energy blasting outwards.

Coughing and gasping, they regained their feet, leaning on each other as they struggled to stand.

As the obscuring smoke cleared, it was then.

That they truly knew fear.

Six pupil-less, slitted eyes blazed red with barely contained malice.

Steam hissed out from massive, drooling jaws with fangs longer and sharper than the best blades Kiba could conjure.

The abomination's pointed snout spun about with an achingly slow pace, long ears flicking about in a parody of a rabbit's own as its massively muscled neck rotated about to face its prey.

For the spectators to its reformation could be nothing else in the face of its unholy might.

Four limbs given form from pure eldritch energy rippled with power as its muscled flesh, clad in rippling, flickering fur reminiscent of the darkest of flames smashed into the shore's surface, creating craters where its paws touched.

It's long, powerful tail flicked left and right disdainfully, smashing apart century old trees, felling them with contemptuous ease.

"Kurama."

Whispered Rias and Akeno in eerie harmony, the sight of the mighty beast drawing its given name forth from their lips with a mix of awe, horror and refined fear.

Kurama drew its first breath in this birth, its yawning jaws opening as it inhaled forcefully, sucking in massive amounts of air, creating a vortex sucking in anything not tied down, clothes, equipment, earth, even a tree or two before it stopped.

And roared.

The scream of pure power nearly permanently deafened the six frozen devils- nay, insects before it as the beast declared its dominion over its surroundings, a blast of sound felling trees and flattening vegetation.

Sent flying from the wall of immense pressure, the peerage were awoken from their helpless paralysis.

**"R̵̗̜̭͇͊Ű̴͈͙͍͊̂͗̄N̷̢̺̻̣̩̥̗̩̜̐͋ͅ"**

And so they did.

Issei scooped up a stiff Asia in his arms, a full bridal carry which would've usually inspired a pleased flush and a smile that could light up entire rooms, but barely created any reaction on a face frozen in stark fear.

His leathery wings flicking out with a whoosh, Issei found that he could fly with both speed and ease when he was actually properly motivated.

Fear was a great motivator.

Akeno scooped up Koneko into her arms, the petite rook immediately latching on to her torso for dear life, appearing to all like a terrified feline clinging to a tree for support, as the Queen unfurled her own wings, soaring off in the exact opposite direction that Issei and Asia had disappeared to.

After seeing to it that the majority of her family had already fled, Rias prepared to retreat herself, rotating about in the air as her leathery wings struggled to carry her about with its usual speed, as the pressure of being near Kurama's aura of malice had yet to abate.

Until she spotted Kiba.

An anguished expression appeared on her face, she screamed in horror..

"Kiba! What in Onii-sama's name are you doing? You can't fight that thing! RUN!"

Kiba smiled wearily at his King.

"I can't. I've drawn my sword. My duty is to protect you, protect our family. To lay down my life if that's what it would cost."

"I will not flee."

Kiba's posture, slouched from enduring the overwhelming malice of Kurama's presence in such proximity, straightened up.

"I will not bend."

He rolled his shoulders, muscle and sinew flexing in anticipation of combat as a longsword appeared in each hand.

"I will not break."

Flipping one sword up in the air, he snatched it up in a reverse grip and sank into the first stance of his usual combat kata.

"For you, I will FIGHT!"

Turning to grace Rias' stunned face with one last gentle smile, he whispered.

"Run, Buchou!"

And he turned back to face his implacable foe.

"COME!" The Knight roared, reminiscent of the greatest heroes in legends of old, facing down impossible foes with a will of steel.

And he charged.

Rias could only float there in shock, as her mind failed to comprehend the sheer unbelievability of the sight before her.

Kurama descended slowly down upon them, every step of its inexorable advance leaving craters behind, smoking and flickering from the traces of pitch black flames that formed its coat. It had no need to rush. It's prey could not escape from it's barrier. They could only evade for so long.

So why was one insect approaching it?

No matter. It had been instructed by its master to teach these insects the meaning of fear. To flee in the face of overwhelming, unbeatable power. Perhaps it should demonstrate some of it. The fact that a mere mongrel decided to face it had piqued its curiosity.

With an expression eerily similar to a smirk, the beast opened his maw as a burst of heated steam exited it.

Even when faced with his impending demise, Kiba could only smile. .

Every creature born was had survival instincts ingrained deep within their psyches.

'Fight or Flight'

Species that failed to listen to those instincts were those that went extinct.

Every instinct within his psyche was screaming at him to flee from Kurama's implacable might, and yet, despite all the fear and adrenaline pumping through his veins, Kiba still pushed on.

For he had purpose.

For he had a will.

And so long as blood still pumped through his veins, he would not allow harm to come to his King.

His family.

It was a knight's code.

His honor.

His oath.

Kiba's well honed fighting instincts analysed the threat, creating and discarding strategies even as he closed in on this mighty foe, his Knight's speed dropping as the crushing pressure of Kurama's pure presence made each step forward harder than the last.

Despite Kurama's overwhelming might, it's pace was slow and ponderous.

Craters and tremors were created with every step, but each step remained at a manageable pace.

Good, he had a chance.

Gritting his teeth, Kiba called on every last ounce of his power. He would not let this abomination continue on its path towards his King. The one he had sworn to serve and protect.

"YOU SHALL NOT PASS!" The Knight roared, as he attacked in a blaze of fury, skidding past Kurama's lumbering, muscled bulk, stabbing his swords into the beast's pelt of pitch black flames as he scored a long sword strike along its flanks.

Pivoting around on the spot, Kiba prepared for its counterattack..

Strange.

His swords seemed a lot lighter.

Glancing down, he felt his heart sink into the vicinity of his gut. For he now knew he had erred in his tactical analysis.

Not having felt any heat as he passed by Kurama in his initial assault, he had assumed the pelt of the fox-like abomination which had been shimmering like the blackest of flames were merely for appearances sake.

He was wrong.

The blades of his swords hadn't just melted when it came in contact with the beast's coat. They had been wiped from existence.

There were no traces left of what had once been two of the finest European longswords in existence.

Not even dust.

Just two shattered hilts.

Snarling at his failure, Kiba summoned two enchanted blades of nigh-unbreakable ice.

{Flame Delete}. Demonic swords in the form of enchanted ice.

The beginnings of rage was simmering within him as Kurama's advance wasn't even slowed down, let alone stopped by his assault.

He couldn't hold back against this beast.

Siphoning the last reserves of demonic power he possessed, Kiba channeled it into the Knight Piece within him.

'Run faster.'

'Cut deeper'

'Hit harder'

Like a mantra, he chanted his desires, and he used the last of his demonic energies to forge it into actual physical effects.

Powered by his strong will, Kiba's physique gained a temporary boost, his demonic power manifesting as a shimmering aura covering his legs, allowing him to breach the very limits of his body.

The ice that comprised the blade lengthened and sharpened, its edge gleaming with a sharpness that could cut through steel.

In a flurry of lightning-fast movement beyond Rias ability to see, Kiba vanished from view, leaving behind multiple after-images as the black flames that made up Kurama's pelt flared angrily as the blade of ice attempted to douse the flames of its existence.

Kurama's inexorable advance finally stopped.

Time stilled as the beast peered curiously at the small itch in its leg.

Kiba smiled, baring his teeth.

"Face me properly, beast."

And so Kurama did.

And then there was darkness.

And pain.

Excruciating pain.

Pain comparable to the torturous experiments of his younger days.

Kiba's eyes blearily flickered open.

'When did I get here?'

Hovering above, Rias could only stare in horror.

In a blur of movement, Kurama had spun its massive bulk around, and contemptuously flicked her Knight with its tail with nary a glance.

And Kiba was gone.

Half a second later, the cliff next to the lake crumbled, granite and shattered stone crashing down.

Behind it, the oak trees that populated the mountain splintered as Kiba was sent smashing through, decades old trunks breaking like twigs as her Knight was sent blasting through like a cannonball. His momentum only ended after creating a path of wanton demolition through the forest reminiscent of her own Power of Destruction.

Which was saying something.

Tears formed in Rias's eyes as she looked at the broken form of her most faithful servant.

Kiba opened his mouth, a thin stream of blood exiting from his lips.

Along with several teeth.

He hoped Asia could fix teeth.

Devil dental insurance was expensive.

Through his blurry, swirling vision, he spotted a vast, a black silhouette approach him.

'Is it not over?' He moaned in pain-filled deliriousness.

The beast paused its advance, as if it was actually considering his plea.

Then it shook its massive snout side to side, the universal sign for rejection.

And Kiba paled.

From within its gaping maw, crimson energy gathered, coalescing into a spinning sphere of dense power, rays of light beginning to emanate from the energy being compressed into a single projectile of incomprehensible power.

Kiba's eyes widened, his expression pleading.

"Please?"

The beast hesitated for a moment.

Hope blossomed in his beseeching gaze.

Then the eldritch abomination grinned. A horrifying facsimile of the Cheshire Grin.

And then it fired.

And he knew no more.

* * *

**-Fifteen minutes later-**

* * *

"That was pathetic."

Naruto peered over at his fallen compatriots from his extremely comfortable perch, swinging gently in a hammock set up on the cottage porch.

Adjusting his sunglasses, he paused to take a sip from the smoothie he was nursing, the picture perfect display of aloof, blissful relaxation.

And Rias couldn't even summon up the energy to protest.

The remnants of her peerage lay exhausted in the clearing facing the porch of the cottage, reduced to insensate lumps barely possessing enough energy to breathe, let alone consider attacking the smug scumbag who had been the cause of all their suffering.

Naruto's grin widened, his eyes shone with satisfaction. There was nothing more enjoyable than watching other people suffer for their own good. Especially so if you just happened to be the cause of it.

Schadenfreude indeed.

On a side note, he really had to get more of these smoothies. They were delicious.

He had been mildly surprised when the first casualty came in barely three minutes into the exercise.

A tendril of eldritch energy had wriggled into the formerly empty clearing before depositing its load and returning to the entity that it had divided from.

A quick glance at the insensate form sprawled on the lawn had failed to glean his or her identity so Naruto hopped off his hammock to investigate further.

He winced.

That had to have hurt.

A lot.

The corpse-like figure was still smoking from enduring one of Kurama's energy blasts.

That was actually impressive. Despite Kurama holding back massively, surviving a direct hit was no easy feat. No wonder the beast had actually decided to make the effort in returning what had formerly been Kiba to the cottage instead of leaving the devil behind in the crater Kurama had beaten him into.

Kiba's skin was steaming, with his all his luxurious, smooth blonde hair completely burned off, his previously mildly tanned skin now a bright crimson hue, with a more than passing resemblance to a freshly boiled lobster.

Needless to say, his clothes hadn't survived either.

Naruto paused. Something wasn't right here.

Confused, he carefully prodded Kiba with his foot, pushing the former knight over to lie on his side, the insensate lump having no visible reaction except a slight change in the pitch of his constant moan of agony.

'Damn,''

Naruto winced in sympathy.

Devil or not, he was pretty sure spines weren't supposed to bend that way.

He was sure he could physically feel Kurama's satisfaction from inflicting so much pain as screams of unadulterated fear and agony echoed through the isolated mountain, accompanied by the view of the fox-like abomination pursuing the terrified peerage, energy blasts evaporating entire swathes of trees and disintegrating rock formations left and right.

Naruto hoped Kurama would hold back more next time.

Or there wouldn't be much left of the mountain range by the time this training stint was over.

Then he shrugged. It wasn't like Rias couldn't pay for it anyway.

Whatever, he had more pressing issues at hand. Like where to find more refreshments. He had already cleaned out his King's personal stash of her favourite smoothies.

If only he could find where Koneko hid her beloved Belgian Chocolate cookies.

She had found out the hard way not to leave them lying around when he was present.

At this rate he might as well hire a personal cook… maybe that sword cook he's been hearing about?

The rest of the peerage turned up later, in varying states of disarray.

Issei had been beaten unconscious, his mouth still filled with the leaves from the numerous branches he had been thrown into, but he still remained curled up protectively against a miraculously unhurt Asia, who had long since fainted from the horrors the beast had brought upon her.

Naruto could respect that. Issei may have been a perverted, idiotic, naive kid, but he had will and guts to spare.

And then came Koneko.

The small rook wasn't terribly injured, although her white locks were singed and her tail was now furless. Her rook endurance had helped when she failed to dodge Kurama's energy blasts.

Naruto was pleasantly surprised by her performance actually, Koneko had been remarkably adept at hiding her presence from the abomination hunting them down, and using her surroundings to get an advantage in escaping.

That said, she still got hit by Kurama when the creature was only using a mere fraction of its power and speed.

And that was something she needed to work on.

Moving on, the blonde was less than amused about the performance of the supposed leaders of the peerage.

It was pitiful.

"So what happened?"

Akeno could barely raise her head from where she had been lying face-down on the soft grass.

She had never known that the embrace of the forest ground could now possibly be so soft and comforting.

"Okay, in our defense, Kurama got a LOT bigger."

"And stronger. Since when could his energy blasts disintegrate entire swathes of hardened granite?" Was the slightly whiny contribution from the peerage's King, as she leaned heavily against a nearby tree trunk for support, being the only one left standing.

"Since he devoured three S-Rank strays."

"What…?"

"Regardless of Kurama's new diet," Naruto interjected, "The fact remains that you guys were caught so off guard."

"Why is that?"

Here, Akeno was quick to point the finger of blame. "Because our wayward King forgot to inform us of what we would be 'playing' today."

Rias gasped at the blatant betrayal. "You little bitch! Pointing fingers at others also means pointing four more at yourself!"

Here, her Queen sat up, refusing to let this slanderous accusation stay unrefuted.

"Little~?" Violet eyes danced with amusement and condescension.

Summoning up previously unfound reserves of energy, Akeno stood up, sashaying over to her King, who was immediately regretting her choice of words.

"Tell me, darling~ In what way exactly am I little? Hmm~?" Akeno breathily whispered as she closed in on her prey, hands caressing her sensuous, lithe form, paying particular attention to her sizeable assets.

"As much I'm enjoying the free show, you both are at fault for the failure of your peerage. While Akeno isn't exempt from this debacle, she did bring up an interesting point. Care to explain yourself, Rias?" Naruto commented from his perch on the peanut gallery, his visage ripe with amusement. ''Why didn't you tell them?''

"I-i.. uh.. Forgot?"

Rias shrunk into herself at the incredulous gazes of her servants barring an exasperated Akeno.

Even the lump of flesh that was Kiba somehow managed to unconsciously shift his gaze to her, though Issei and Asia remained blissfully unaware.

"Buchou… how did you forget that there was a giant fox abomination that was going to hunt down and slaughter us?" Koneko's dry stare heaping immense pressure on her as she shrank further and further into herself.

''I didn't know Kurama was going to participate…''

"So… next time you won't forget?" Naruto said with a smug grin on his face.

It was then that a miracle happened.

The insensate lump that had once been the handsome Knight, Kiba regained consciousness, just from the sheer possibility of going through anything like that again.

"NEXT TIME?" He shrieked in a squeaky, high pitched tone reminiscent of prepubescent boys.

Naruto smirked, a mischievous glint within his eyes.

"Yes. Next time. I wonder how many times you're gonna need to have your spine realigned and teeth regrown before you learn to abandon your chivalry and run from an unbeatable foe. Some things aren't meant to be fought, and you as the knight, you can 'leg it' better than anyone.''

Kiba could only mutely nod in agreement to Naruto's harsh, but factual analysis.

After delivering his brutal criticism of Kiba's misguided chivalry, Naruto paused as he spotted movement in his peripheral vision.

"Hey Issei, how long are you going to keep faking unconsciousness just to hug Asia close?"

All eyes immediately turned to the Pawn whose posture suddenly stiffened, even as his eyelids remained steadfastly shut.

"Eep." Came a squeak from the petite Bishop ensconced safely within his arms, demonstrating that Issei wasn't alone in faking unconsciousness just to remain close to the other, even as an atomic blush decorated her porcelain cheeks.

Naruto could barely stifle his laughter at the duo's mortified expressions as they quickly separated, sitting up a short distance away from each other, before he became serious again, rounding on the rest of his compatriots.

"For the rest of you, your performance overall was pathetic. At least Kiba, while awfully misguided, showed some 'spine' today."

Here, the irascible blonde sent a taunting grin at the paralysed Knight, who shook with impotent fury.

"Apart from Koneko, who actually applied stealth, the rest of you only tried to run. And besides Kiba, none of you can outrun Kurama, especially not in a forest. The real purpose of this exercise was to test your ability to think on your feet when faced with a superior foe, needless to say you all failed, and the six of you would've been Kurama's breakfast in less than fifteen minutes."

Chastised, they all hung their heads collectively in shame.

Naruto sighed. They were all down in the dumps after that particularly harsh, yet factual summary of their abilities and teamwork.

"But it could've been worse. You guys are still alive and that's what matters. There is no shame in losing, I've lost plenty of times.''

''You have? To who?'' Koneko asked, leaning forward, Issei looking curiously towards the blonde.

''My first true defeat was to Rias' brother Sirzechs.'' A far away look entered Naruto's eye.''He wanted to test Kurama and I, so we fought to prove our worth."

Suppressing a shiver of both awe and grudging fear, Naruto whispered.

"The Lucifer is truly a monster. Kurama and I attacked with everything we had, summoning up reserves of strength we didn't even know we possessed, his power, which already far surpassed us from the start, easily kept pace with us, increasing as if he had no limits, till we finally admitted defeat."

Naruto's wide, toothy grin returned, as he leapt to his feet.

"Despite getting my ass handed to me, to this day, I still don't feel like I walked out from that battle a loser."

"Can you guess why?''

Koneko shook her head.

''Because I walked away from that fight stronger. The Satan showed me that I possessed far more potential than I had ever imagined. To lose is a state of mind, you'll only lose if you give up, so long as you live you can try again.''

Rias and Akeno remembered that fight well. Arguably the strongest Satan ever produced by the devil Faction, the ultimate Super Devil, facing off against a 14 year old boy.

Despite the boy's loss, he had made the Lucifer pay for his win in blood. Regardless of the outrageous odds stacked against Naruto, he had forced Sirzechs to bleed for every inch of ground he gave away, and the blonde drawing out so much power from within that the Super Devil had unleashed his trump card, transforming his entire body into ruin itself.

After the Lucifer drew out his ultimate form, Naruto had gotten beaten down with ease. It had always been an outrageously long shot, a nigh-impossible feat to clinch victory against such odds, but despite Naruto's failure. It was still a win in the books of all who had witnessed that the fight, one that had nearly shattered the Artificial Dimension hosting the titanic clash of powers.

''I walked away from that battle the loser. But one day, I will definitely surpass him, I lost the fight, but I will win the war. I'll beat him for sure. Bet on it.''

His blue eyes gleamed with barely restrained anticipation, this wasn't just a boast or some hot air.

It was an oath.

A promise.

At this, Rias looked troubled.

Having witnessed the clash between Naruto and her brother, she knew that Naruto blacked out after Sirzechs unleashed his true form, missing the emergency evacuation of the arena as the Artificial Dimension collapsed around them as the Satan struggled to rein in his powers without disintegrating half of the underworld.

Good friends had sacrificed much of their life force to avert that disaster.

Allowing his sudden build up of anticipation and energy to fade, Naruto faced his compatriots with a fully serious visage.

''Listen up guys. Despite losing here today, you guys would have honestly done worse for your first attempt, but that's all in the past now. There is no point in winning if you guys don't come back together. Sometimes, just coming back beaten, but alive is a form of victory in and of itself."

Without pointing out anyone specifically, Naruto matched their focused gazes with his own steely one.

"Some of you know what it's like to stare Death itself in the face, and it is thanks to Rias here that you cheated it's cloying grasp. So be thankful for having the privilege of still being alive to feel pain. Now lift your heads, get your asses up and show some gratitude to the girl that gave you your second chance in life."

Naruto's confident, strong voice grew even louder, his azure orbs gleaming with energy, gradually turning into a passionate yell.

"Give her everything you've got. Help and support one another. Come back in one piece together."

Don't just surpass your limits!"

"SHATTER THEM!"

Hope and energy surged like a raging fire back into the previously downtrodden eyes of the peerage.

They truly owed their King everything, and to repay that debt, they could and would do anything to help her break free of the shackles imprisoning her.

Naruto smiled. An honest smile of pride and confidence.

The peerage had been drifting, directionless, and unmotivated. Waiting for the sound of the death knell to signify their loss.

But now they burned with unrepressed energy. Ready to do whatever it took to save their King from a fate worse than death.

No matter what it cost.

Come Hell and high water.

They were now prepared.

Naruto had never been prouder.

''Now you're all dismissed, take a few hours to rest, heal up, and then we'll start over again.''

Everyone moaned as their aches and pains returned with a vengeance as the adrenaline rush faded, but accepted the precious time to recuperate.

Until an apologetic voice broke the serious atmosphere with a grave announcement.

"Kiba-san? I don't think I can make your hair grow back."

The now bald knight groaned in agony.

* * *

**Mini**

**To guest review Tommy: I accidentally deleted your review when was copying to annex my reply - peerage members are special, they don't take in just about anyone and thus his supernatural attraction wouldn't help gain members. A stroll through the underworld and Rias could easily find youkais or devils **

(1) My grandpa used to tell me story all the time. There are a bunch of lessons in it: Don't try to learn how to fly tomorrow when you can today, sometimes people that love you can't help because they have their own problems to deal with, Winter comes for everyone, not everyone that puts you in shit is your enemy, not everyone that takes you out and cleans you is your friend and lastly when you're in shit keep your beak shut!

(2) Story of my teenage life ladies and gentlemen. Anyone can relate with getting distracted and forgetting to do something important?

**Lux:** Poor Kiba, he really took one for the team. Even if it was his own fault. On another note, if you think this one was wild, you guys really got something else coming when you see the next one. Enjoy this update, its crossed the ten thousand word mark. We thoroughly enjoyed writing it.

**Danga:** If I can't make a Stalin Joke then why the fuck are these things called devils huh? (1D). And damn this is a jump in quality

.


	3. Act 1 Part 3: Descent

This is the last stop fellas, from here on out its just pure chaos. - Danga

* * *

"Nothing is so painful to the mortal mind as a great and sudden change" - Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, from Frankenstein.

* * *

**-THE THIRD DAY OF TRAINING-**

* * *

It had been a rough few days for the Gremory Peerage, their bodies reduced to insensate lumps of flesh that ached constantly from the merciless torture Naruto gleefully referred to as 'training.'

They had never before felt such vigorous hatred and fear for such a mundane sounding word, before the blonde _**monster**_ in disguise enlightened them to the _true_ meaning of the word.

Despite their constant protests, the entire peerage had fallen silent when Naruto had merely pointed out that they had made tremendous progress in evasion, concealment and general survivability. After undergoing training where the basics of tactics, teamwork and strategy were beaten into them, they were now well on the road to regaining the edge they all lost.

They had been horrified to find out that Fry N' Seek™ had been one of the _easier_ activities that Naruto had in store for them.

After getting hunted down and brutally roasted by the fox-like abomination one too many times in the first two days alone, the peerage elected for more… _constructive_ activities.

The mountain range could only handle so many of Kurama's nukes before it was reduced into nothing but rubble and dust after all. Something Naruto didn't think the Gremory clan would appreciate.

Which was why they were now 'playing' a simple game of Capture-the-Flag.

What could possibly go wrong with such a simple game, right?

Sweat trickled down Issei's neck as he slowly, stealthily crawled on the forest floor, careful to avoid disturbing the dried leaves and twigs that threatened to give away his position.

The game of 'Capture the Flag' was twenty minutes in, and Issei had already made his way rapidly to the border dividing his team's territory from his opponents' domain.

Making good use of the time which he took to traverse his team's territory to arrive at the border, Issei had applied the lessons on concealment Naruto had drilled into them relentlessly the day before.

Namely, using the surrounding vegetation to disguise his appearance and mask his scent.

He had first slathered mud and dirt all over himself, followed by rubbing leaves and sap all over his clothes and hair to mask his distinct odour of sweat.

He had found a patch of particularly pleasant smelling mint-like plants to utilise, patting himself on the back as he gleefully rubbed the plant all over himself. He was lucky he didn't need to use more foul-smelling plants to disguise himself.

**[I wouldn't use that if I were you, partner.]**

'_Come on… It's just a mint plant. What could go possibly wrong?'_

**[You did not just say that.]**

'_We're already twenty minutes in, and I am barely halfway into their territory. Crawling in is extremely time-consuming…'_

**[Your funeral.]**

Ignoring what he perceived as his partner's melodramatics, Issei went back to crawling through the forest.

Finally making his way up to the peak of a small knoll overlooking the blue team's base, a clearing in the north end of the forest with a blue flag fluttering proudly in the center, Issei sighed in relief. He had taken forty minutes just to get here unmolested, past the many pitfalls and traps, both magical and otherwise, that had been set up in the hour preceding the action phase.

Carefully scanning the deceptively peaceful and empty clearing for any signs of the enemy, Issei muttered into the tiny magic circle linking him to Rias and Kiba, his low whisper barely audible in the light breeze sweeping through the forest.

"I've reached their base. Target spotted. No sign of the enemy yet."

Having been ambushed one too many times by the fox shaped eldritch monster named Kurama, Issei had had his naivety literally beaten and fried out of him.

He no longer based his decisions merely on what his eyes told him. Both his sanity and his body was on the verge of collapse after countless beatdowns inflicted upon the poor Pawn.

There was no way that Akeno had left behind no one to guard their prize, she was far too intelligent to leave such a gaping hole in her defenses for her opponents. Plus there was no way she would miss out on the opportunity to inflict a _little_ pain on her darling kouhais.

Message conveyed, Issei quickly re-established radio silence and stealthily crawled away. He may have given away his position already. He needed to move.

The blue flag fluttering innocently in the breeze was right out in the open, and it seemed unassailable without being spotted almost instantly.

He needed a distraction.

Issei grinned. Distracting the enemy was his speciality.

Especially those of the female variety.

He hadn't come this far without making prior _preparations._

A perverted giggle escaped him.

**[...]**

**Ddraig left the chat. (1L)**

'_How did I know he left the chat? Wait.. what chat?'_

The Brunette shook his head and executed his dastardly plan, cackling mentally as he went about his work.

* * *

**-IN THE COTTAGE-**

* * *

"NO WAY!"

Naruto yelled, howling with laughter as he fell out of his perch on his beloved hammock, barely saving the smoothie he had been sipping earlier from falling to a gruesome death on the cottage veranda.

Rias had given him control over her bat familiars which now flew over the forest, giving him a bir- ahem, bat's eye view over the proceedings as the game of 'Capture the Flag' continued.

The blonde couldn't believe Issei was that _bold_ in attempting to win the game. Truly by any means possible.

The Pawn was an idiot of epic proportions most of the time, but even Naruto had to give him props for sheer _balls._

Raising his smoothie, he toasted the brunette.

If only to pay respects of course.

He would congratulate the Pawn later on possessing balls of steel for even thinking up such a daring stunt, let alone actually accomplishing it.

If Issei survived the fallout.

"_I knew that idiot was going to pull something out of his ass when he started the game with that perverted grin of his… but I never thought he'd be capable of this.'_

Kurama stood beside him in its miniature form, an aura of amusement surrounding the beast, it's tail swaying side to side like a whip made of flickering, pitch black flames, silently concurring with his master's thoughts.

* * *

**-BACK IN BLUE TEAM'S BASE-**

* * *

Issei took a deep breath, steeling his nerves and calming his wildly pumping heart.

He was positive that this plan would end up with him being thrashed to within an inch of his life.

'_But it would be SO worth it'. _ He giggled.

**Ddraig has disconnected from the server. ****Permanently.**

The brunette's eye twitched, what the fuck was this server and how did the Welsh Dragon leave it?

Having steeled his nerves, he sucked air into his gut, and roared.

"I STOLE YOUR UNDERWEAR FROM LAUNDRY DAY YESTERDAY! COME AND GET IT!"

Reaching into his pockets, Issei stood proudly atop the small knoll overlooking the clearing.

Before he thrust his prized possessions imperiously in the sky, his expression being one of assured success.

Fluttering majestically in the wind was the lewdest, raciest purple bra in existence, it could barely even be considered as clothing with how little it covered.

Along with a pair of tiny white panties embroidered with paw prints all over the silk fabric.

From center of the clearing, what had initially appeared to be nothing but an unassuming pile of vegetation _twitched._

And a beast rose up from within, trembling with barely suppressed embarrassment and sheer, unhinged **RAGE.**

Rising up from her perfect disguise next to the blue flag where she had been lying in ambush for forty-five minutes, Koneko's jaws opened, steam hissing out from her maw as she bared her fangs at the soon-to-be lump of **dead meat.**

"**DIE PERVERT!"**

Unsheathing her claws with a horrifying 'snikt', the petite rook snarled like a feral beast as she pounced at the Pawn who stood still, frozen in horror at the beast he had awoken.

Oh sweet merciful sis-con Lucifer.

**[RUN FOOL!]**

Ddraig roared as his vessel remained rooted to the spot.

The Welsh Dragon couldn't stomach dying an ignoble death from being shredded by an enraged feline.

How could he even face Albion after such a disaster? The Red Dragon of Domination, turned into strips of luncheon meat by righteous female fury.

And Issei turned tail and fled for his life, his hands still frozen above his head as his _prizes_ fluttered immaculately and proudly like the colors of an empire in the breeze.

The empire of panty thieves.

Matsuda and Motohama would have been so proud.

If he survived to tell the tale in the first place, something that looked increasingly less likely given how feral the _beast_ right behind him was acting, drool dripping from her open jaws, gnashing together lengthened fangs in sheer bloodlust.

Issei's daring escape sequence from the white haired hellion ended abruptly when he tripped on a suspiciously placed smoothie cup. Which he swore wasn't there a second ago.

Miles away, Naruto lowered his arm from his discarding of the empty smoothie cup, having wound up his arm for a random toss of the empty cup into the forest. **(1D)**

Today really wasn't Issei's lucky day.

Dread sank in the brunette's gut like an anchor hitting bottom with a deathly 'thud'. Mechanically rotating his head up to face his doom, Issei smiled tentatively as the drool of the feral beast had formerly been Koneko dripped ominously onto his head.

"Er… Mercy please?"

The hungering beast _smiled_ in pity.

And Issei started screamed in terror.

* * *

**-MEANWHILE… IN THE CLEARING-**

* * *

Kiba winced in sympathy at Issei's wails of terror and rapidly escalating _pain._

The Knight had finally learned that sacrifices had to be made in the name of achieving his objectives over the past few days, if nothing else.

Mentally tipping his hat to Issei's nobl- never mind, ignoble sacrifice, Kiba casually wrapped the flag's banner around the metal pole it was fluttering on, before sliding it onto the holster on his back.

Sometimes you had to a lose a battle to win the war.

Before he turned tail and fled for the safety of his base.

He had already wasted far too much time in taking down the _other_ member on Akeno's and Koneko's team.

Asia.

The innocent viridian eyes of the nun as she stared him down thirty minutes ago had inflicted great scars on Kiba's psyche from what he had to do to achieve victory in this dastardly game concocted by Naruto.

He had been hoping and praying that it wouldn't come down to this, but the inevitable burden of necessity had still fallen like a huge weight onto his shoulders.

The burden of the monstrous things he had been tasked to do by his King.

Eliminating the enemy's support first.

It hadn't taken long to locate Asia in the forest, Kiba's Knight attributes of sheer speed and maneuverability having been honed to a keen edge by the brand of brutal torture their trainer cheerfully referred to as "mere training to get the lazy, soft lumps that you are now back into decent shape."

Naruto was such a dick.

But locating the former nun had been the easy part.

What came next was truly monstrous.

Despite Kiba's mental chants of 'Harden your heart. Steel your soul. For Lucifer's sake, CLOSE YOUR EYES!', he remained helplessly transfixed by the large green orbs staring at him mournfully, shimmering with unshed tears.

Asia's sheer innocence and cuteness radiated about her in an aura more effective than the densest of armour.

He couldn't do it.

It was like kicking a puppy.

His blade trembled in his shaking grip.

He couldn't.

Asia's bottom lip _wobbled._

And Kiba's sword fell from his loosened grasp, landing on the ground with a dull 'clang' of steel.

Kiba was weak to cute things. Extremely weak.

HOW?

Had she been taking lessons in weaponizing cuteness from Koneko?

Kiba groaned.

"Please don't hurt me, _senpai~" _

Blood spurted out of Kiba's mouth and he fell to the ground, legs softening like jelly at the critical hit.

"Yay." the little blond bishop cheered, waving her dainty hands about, an expression of euphoric joy in seemingly avoiding a conflict with her erstwhile enemy.

During the briefing Akeno had conducted earlier, Asia had been worried that she would be useless in the ensuing game of 'Capture the Flag'.

But the smiling Queen had merely squealed while pinching her cheeks gently, reassuring the anxious former nun.

"If even I can't stop myself from 'squeeing' at your adorable nature, there's no way Kiba's gonna be able to resist your weaponized cuteness. Aww, c'mere you little bundle of joy.."

Before squeezing the bemused nun into her bountiful chest, rendering Asia barely able to breathe.

Which was what led to Kiba's predicament.

Even after having had his needless chivalry on the battlefield _beaten_ from him, Kiba was still inherently weak to the sheer adorableness that Asia radiated naturally.

Then his predicament got worse.

Asia hadn't just learned how to use her innate cuteness like a weapon.

She had her eyes opened to the myriad ways her {Twilight Healing} could be used offensively too.

Naruto was truly a twisted bastard.

* * *

**-THE NIGHT BEFORE-**

* * *

"Hey you. Little ball of cuteness." The blonde casually said, beckoning at the confused bishop.

"Me?" She tilted her head adorably.

Naruto pinched his nose to staunch the little drop of blood that threatened to leak from his nostrils, gods damn it all.

Her cuteness really was deadly.

"Yes, you." He sighed.

The petite Bishop trotted over to the blonde, who was reclining comfortably on a wooden bench, taking a seat next to Naruto as he patted the spot beside him.

"Your sacred gear is a great gift, but it's being limited in its versatility by your sheer innocence. You only saw its potential to heal and support your teammates, and then proceeded to study up on medical knowledge and anatomy to better use its power." Naruto began gently, as Asia nodded in agreement, sensing a 'but' incoming.

"But did you realize that someone who knows the best ways to heal someone also possesses the knowledge on how best to hurt them?" Came the inevitable conclusion.

Blonde hair swung about as Asia shook her head vigorously, mumbling, "But I can't bear hurting anyone… It makes me feel bad. It makes me feel guilt, and pain…" She murmured, in a tone that suggested she was revealing her deepest, darkest secrets.

"I must be so useless, I can't even stomach the thought of hurting the ones that want to harm me, even kill me…" Tears gathered like little precious pearls in her viridian orbs.

Naruto sighed. Even he wasn't heartless enough to diminish the pure innocence that exemplified- no, formed the very core of Asia's being. It was, literally, who she was.

Patting her soft blonde hair gently and soothingly, he gave the little bishop a comforting hug, her petite frame fitting well in the comparatively cavernous embrace of his arms and torso.

She blushed cutely at the warmth of his hug.

Resting his chin atop her soft hair, Naruto continued, speaking seriously, yet mournfully.

"You are _not _useless." Steel tinged his tone, conveying the strength of his belief.

"Your innocence and purity is what embodies you. It is a precious, rare gift fast dwindling in this cruel world. It should never be tarnished by the evil festering in the shadows in this world. You forgive those that threaten you with grace and mercy, begging to die in place of those whom you regard as precious to you." Naruto praised, pink tingling Asia's pale skin as she felt the _pride_ in his voice.

"But one day, the time will come that you will have to make a choice. Having been protected, sheltered from the harsh, cruel realities outside your fortress all your life, will you merely watch as the same evils threatening you turn around to harm those that you care for? That you cherish?" Naruto whispered slowly and with gravitas, allowing the Bishop time to carefully consider his words.

Asia stilled, conflicting thoughts and emotions plaguing the little girl that had never left the sheltered circle of comfort she had lived in all her life.

She hesitated slightly. "But God told us to turn the other cheek to those who attack us. To bear it. To accept it."

"_Funny of her to say bear it, as the very same God sent two bears to maul 42 children for simply calling him what he was?" _Naruto internally snorted while his expression did nothing to betray his internal musings, the only reason he even knew that was due to him reading the bible to increase his pain tolerance.

He shook his head, eliminating those amusing thoughts from his mind, his focus on the little nun hovering at the edge of her fortress like a young bird, hesitating at the sheer drop beyond its nest.

Quietly, she spoke, her tone filled with melancholy and sadness.

"And I did. All my life, I forgave and granted mercy to all who wronged me, hurt me, made me cry. It was okay, I was just a clumsy, naive nun, but I could accept their anger, accept the pain."

Her melodious voice grew stronger. More confident. More self-assured.

"But I can no longer just watch helplessly as they turn their malicious gaze to those I care about, those that I love."

_Will _surged through her viridian orbs, protectiveness emanating from her desires.

"I _refuse _to let harm befall those that mean the world to me. I can only beg forgiveness for using His gift to protect them. For the people I keep in my heart, I will give my all, to keep them safe."

The tiny bird took the final step forth on the edge of her nest, reaching the absolute limit of the safety it provided. Drawing a breath that filled its small breast with courage, the bird faced the sheer drop without fear. And it leapt forth, out of the walls that had protected it since young, but was now a prison to its potential. Ready at last. To spread its wings. And join its kin in joyous rapture in the skies.

And so what had once been a sheltered, innocent little nun, now took her first step down the hard path in becoming someone _stronger._

Someone who didn't compromise on her morals.

Someone who retained the innocence, grace and mercy that made her who she was, but could and would step up into the cruel world.

To face evil head on.

All to protect the ones that mattered the most to her.

Naruto smiled.

The tiny Bishop now seemed taller.

Much taller.

* * *

**-BACK IN THE FOREST-**

* * *

And so little Asia smiled apologetically, reaching forwards to gently tap Kiba's nose as the Knight stood paralysed by her adorable nature, her hands surrounded by a soothing miasma of green energy.

"Forgive me, senpai. But I can't let you pass."

And then she spread her little arms.

Standing solidly with her feet planted into the ground.

To protect those that she loved.

Kiba cried.

But it was tears of pride at the growth the petite girl had shown.

At the iron will that now strengthened the innocence she still retained.

Perhaps it was time to show how his own will had been tempered.

Ignoring the slight itch his nose developed after her light touch, Kiba stood back up, unheeding of the blood cascading down his mouth from her weaponized adorability, tears flowing down his face as he steeled his will, forged and tempered in the fires of suffering.

He reached down, picking up his fallen sword, willing its edge to turn blunt, transforming the once fine longsword into what amounted to a blunt club.

"I'm proud of you Asia. Of your newfound will. Of your growth and determination."

Peering unwaveringly into her shimmering green orbs, he continued.

"Which is why you will have to forgive me. For I think you'll find my will..."

He gently raised the club, smiling apologetically.

"Equal to yours."**(2L)**

In a blur of movement, Kiba stepped forth and bopped the petite Bishop on her head gently.

Blood gushed from his lips as his conscience protested at the equivalent of kicking a downed puppy as Asia's eyes gradually closed, the little one falling into the realm of blissful unconsciousness.

Kiba blurred forward and caught her before she could hit the ground, lowering her gently onto a soft bed of moss for her impromptu nap.

"I'm truly sorry, but I can't let you win." He whispered.

After seeing to it that the blue flag was still secure in the holster on his back, the knight sped off, scratching at his increasingly itchy nose.

And Asia smiled in her sleep.

Kiba tripped.

Again.

HIs head felt heavy, far too heavy.

Something was wrong.

His usual speed had slowed down tremendously, every step felt like he was wading through rapidly congealing concrete, and his head was swimming deliriously.

Why was he so _dizzy?_

The world was fading in and out of focus as he swayed on his feet, dropping his sword as he cradled his suddenly much heavier head in his hands.

Why couldn't he see anything beyond his nose?

His field of vision was being constricted.

Something was very wrong.

He barely made it, stumbling across the line dividing the territory between red and blue, miraculously surviving the numerous traps that he had tripped on the way, his entire body covered in wounds that Akeno's sadistic traps had inflicted on him.

Kiba had lost count of the number of times he had fallen into a hidden pit filled with thorny plants, stepped on a hidden noose trap that lifted him up as he hung suspended, upside down in the air as blood rushed to his head.

His Queen was scary. Very much so.

"Ara Ara~ You're so naughty, Kiba-kun. Talking behind my back like this~"

Kiba froze.

And slowly turned around to face his doom.

Violet eyes glimmered with amusement and anticipation as the Peerage's most powerful and versatile piece slowly glided down to a graceful stop, her leathery wings flapping as they lowered her down from her overwatch above.

Until Akeno gaped in surprise and horror as she caught a glimpse of Kiba's visage, her playful, naughty tone evaporating like water in the desert.

"Kiba! What happened to your face!", she exclaimed in concern and shock, her hands coming up to caress Kiba's swollen, heavy head.

"Huh?" The normally eloquent knight mumbled obtusely, he felt so lethargic and dizzy.

Akeno materialised a mirror from somewhere, holding it up as Kiba strained to discern his reflection as his vision swam again.

His sword fell to the floor with a 'clang' from where it had been raised in defense when Akeno suddenly appeared.

There was something dreadfully wrong with what greeted him in the mirror's reflection.

What stared back was not the usual handsome, well-rounded visage.

Instead, it was something resembling the horrifying masks that kids wore at Halloween when they went house to house to extort treats.

His once angular, chiseled nose was severely swollen, resembling a MASSIVE tumour that had decided to make itself a home on the center of his face, obscuring his vision with its bulk, weighing his head down with its immense mass. It shared a great similarity to the massive red noses that clowns wore at the circle.

The horrifying appearance reflected in Akeno's mirror was worsened by the fact that his skin was still bright pink and slightly crispy, his luxurious, smooth blonde hair still not growing back after the torture he had received under Kurama three days ago.

KIba moaned in despair.

Despite his lack of outright arrogance over his honestly stunning looks, as a Devil, he was prideful over his immaculate appearance, taking good care to maintain it.

But it was all ruined.

As he brooded over his destroyed appearance, he noticed something bright and sparking before him.

Squinting at the bright light growing before him, he put away Akeno's mirror as he wondered why the sky was suddenly so overcast, a huge wave black clouds rolling over the horizon.

Akeno hovered a safe distance away from Kiba as he stared, frozen at her. More specifically, the forming weapon in her hands.

Energy coalesced between her palms, forming a sphere before lengthening into a thick pillar that slowly rotated as she cradled it in both hands, compressing it into a spear of roiling energy.

The sky darkened, pitch-black thunderclouds rolling in like the inevitable arrival of the waves at high tide, surging with unrestrained force even as streaks of lightning zipped through the formation's gut, accompanied by thunder resounding ominously.

The lightning zipping around in the belly of the pitch-black mammatus clouds eventually coalesced into a lattice of volatile energy, before streaking down in a blast of light that seared Kiba's eyes, colliding with the massed spear of energy in the Queen's hands.

The fusion of natural lightning and its magical counterpart caused the tiny remnants left of Kiba's bodily hair to stand on edge, static dancing along his skin as it rippled like a goose's skin.

He was well and truly screwed.

Using her inherent power as a Shinto Priestess to full advantage, Akeno had summoned a natural thunderstorm that freely provided endless amounts of pure electricity,of which the only limitation was her being unable to harness it without further refinement with magic

Like a starving beast, the coalescing pillar of demonic magic rotating between Akeno's hands devoured the electricity freely given from the thunderclouds, solidifying and strengthening the bolt into a spear of lightning that shimmered and sparked with ádestructive energy.

Akeno smiled happily.

"Goodnight, Kiba-kun~"

And she hurled the spear of purified condensed lightning, fueled by energy from the heavens itself, transforming into a weapon reminiscent of the legendary spear of Odin, Gungnir.

Towards the person holding the only metallic objects in that neck of the woods.

Kiba glanced from the incoming bolt, to the metal pole of the blue team's flag and groaned.

There was no way he was going to come out of this conscious, even surviving this attack would be a lucky break.

They had lost.

But he couldn't just drop the flag here, could he?

He was his King's Knight. He never yielded.

Clarity surged back into his muddled thoughts. Time seemed to slow as his mind strained to find a way for him to escape this trap.

First he needed to survive this bolt. Surely Akeno had to be tired out after summoning such a powerful attack. He just needed to hold out.

"Wall of Swords." He whispered, pouring every ounce of demonic power into his wish, nay, his _command._

And dozens upon dozens of swords materialised before him, long-swords, broad-swords, even massive great-swords slamming into the soil with immense force, sending up a spray of dust and fallen leaves from the impact, forming a thick, defensive wall.

The proverbial immovable object.

It looked like an impregnable defense.

Before the lightning bolt crashed into the wall with all the strength of an unstoppable force.

Electricity arced through the metallic blades, sparks flying off as the metal conducted the energy into the earth rapidly, the heat of the bolt flash-frying the grips and cross guards as peals of thunder rattled the wall.

His teeth vibrating in his jaws from the sheer force of the thunder, Kiba turtled behind his hastily formed defenses, hoping and praying that he made it through the onslaught conscious.

Most of the lightning surged back into the ground, but stray bolts leaped off the walls and into the flagpole holstered behind him, the passage of electricity making his boots smoke as his body locked up, his head buzzing painfully as the electricity arced through him.

Finally, the torture ended, his swords de-materializing as his reserves of demonic energy ran out. Kiba looked up from where he had fallen.

Surely, after all that power placed into that assault, Akeno had run out of demonic energy. The Queen wasn't known for her stamina after all.

Especially since his sacred gear, {Sword Birth} was an excellent countering type against lightning, due to the basic physics of metal being extremely conductive against it.

But he had miscalculated.

Gravely.

Akeno wasn't even _sweating_.

He swore.

"Ara~ You're still conscious, Kiba-kun... Well done~" Akeno merrily praised, clasping her hands together.

Before she summoned another bolt, the thunderclouds above splitting apart as they crashed down burst after burst of lightning into the spear charging in her hands.

The only difference was that this one was at least three times as large.

KIba gulped. He was truly screwed, there was no way he could even summon more than a single bread knife with the power he had left, let alone another wall.

Just as he was about to close his eyes, accepting his fate, a flash of purple soared past, the mystery projectile landed right on her head as Akeno yelped in surprise.

The bolt faded away with the lapse in concentration as Akeno stared, puzzled at the object draped over her face.

Kiba turned to face his savior.

"Issei, that you?"

Kiba could only guess at the identity of his savior by the brown color of his blood-matted hair, and the fact that only one other person wore the male Kuoh academy uniform, which hung in tatters over his exhausted form.

As he stared numbly at the Pawn who was bleeding rapidly from the insane number of lacerations decorating his entire body, only one thought came to mind.

"How are you still conscious?" The Knight presumed that Issei must have had lots of practice in resisting blood loss, from the number of times the life-sustaining liquid squirting from his nose whenever something perverted crossed his mind in the vicinity of a beautiful member of the opposite gender.

"H-Help me…" The brunette moaned, before he collapsed.

Kiba's eyes widened in shock. There was a white-haired lump attached to his back, the only place left unscratched.

"Nyaaaaa~ Nyahaahaaaha~~~"

Koneko had returned from her primal, feral rage and appeared doped to high heaven as she clung, painfully- Kiba noticed, to Issei's back like the world's cutest backpack, a pair of adorable cat ears and a happily swaying cat tail emerging from hiding.

"Wha- HOW?" The knight struggled to find words to describe the impossible scene before his eyes.

How had Issei managed to lure Koneko out of her rage and reveal her Nekoshou traits, let alone remain alive, albeit barely, after his dastardly theft of her precious undies?

**[The idio-I mean, my **_**partner**_**] **

Here, the gauntlet itself _shuddered_.

**[Somehow managed to slather himself in catnip, of all the plants he could've picked to disguise his scent before his infiltration.]**

And Kiba dissolved into laughter, rolling around the floor. Before karma struck back as he moaned in sudden agony, having hit his swollen, tumour-like nose on the ground, a torrent of tears leaking from his eyes.

Then came the horrifyingly calm voice of their sadistic Queen.

"So… Can you tell me just how you got your hands on my trusty 'Racy Lacy number Seven', darling Issei-kun~?"

Kiba paled, noticing the lingerie hanging from Akeno's index finger as she leveled a deadly calm stare at the frozen Pawn.

"I've been saving this one for Naruto-kun…"

Sparks danced from her fingers as Akeno trembled with barely suppressed fury, her eyes twitching before she conjured the biggest spear of lightning Kiba had ever seen.

"But somehow… I really feel like I could use some _practice_ with this technique before I use it on my Naru-kun~"

This… really wasn't going to end well.

Rias glanced at her watch.

A full hour had already passed.

Less than ten minutes remained before the game of 'Capture-the-Flag' would end, and still, no-one had approached their base situated next to the river winding its way down the mountain range yet. Waiting here alone for the past hour had been excruciating as Rias could only hope the plan she had concocted to use Issei to draw away the blue team for Kiba to steal their flag was proceeding on.

She had received news that Kiba had retrieved the flag and encountered Asia after Issei had drawn Koneko away with some distraction that Kiba refused to tell her about, the Knight suppressing giggles even as he panted in exertion from his sprint towards the border, but they had both gone radio silent soon after.

She was worried for them.

A wave of massive, rumbling storm clouds formed suddenly above where her troops had been fighting, and that ominous sight could mean only one thing. Her boys were both in trouble.

Well, Naruto had always said that a King had to lead from the front.

And the peerage would follow, even if she led them straight to the abyss itself.

She was never a fan of waiting for her enemies to appear before her anyway, unlike her rival, the Heiress of Sitri.

It was time for action.

"Take this, Pervert-kun~!"

Akeno raised her arms, the bolt- no, the _missile _of Lightning sparking and roiling with compressed power, and heaved it at the stunned duo on the floor, Koneko having gotten out of her catnip-induced stupor and fled upon being confronted with overwhelming firepower. She had learnt that lesson well enough from her encounters with the abomination in their little games of Fry N' Seek™ , thank you very much.

The blinding light of the incoming missile blinded both Issei and the frozen Knight flanking him, who just happened to be in the wrong place and the wrong time. The insanely powerful projectile making Issei's spiky hair straighten up like a terrified animals hackles.

The force of the explosion was very nearly up to one of Kurama's energy blasts. Which spoke volumes about Akeno's true capabilities when filled with righteous fury.

There was no way the two males could even look at the missile without getting blinded from the glare, let alone take it head on.

So why were they still conscious?

"Ara, ara Akeno-chan. Isn't this a bit much?"

Their savior had finally arrived.

Kiba sank down onto his stiff back in relief, his body still locked up from the stray electricity that leaped from the reddish-black shield surrounding the fallen duo.

A shield made from Destruction itself.

The hemispherical shield shimmered with the powerful signature ability of the Great Kings of the Underworld. The Bael family's Destruction magic.

The magic ate at the Lightning Missile's energy source directly, charging up its own power by devouring the energy from the electricity. Fueled by the very energy clashing against its might, the shield held strong, forming an unbreakable bulwark over the fallen males.

Crimson hair flaring at the charged atmosphere between her Queen and her teammates, Rias Gremory stepped forth, her wings depositing her gently on the ground in front of her.

The bald knight smiled gratefully at his king before conking out like his fellow male, trusting their safety to his sworn liege.

Rias strengthened the barrier protecting her fallen teammates, pouring more energy to defend the boys that had given their all for her. She had never been so proud in being their leader.

Rounding on her pouting Queen, Rias prepared to deliver her lecture on knowing the boundaries of the pain one was allowed to inflict on allies.

Before she stopped as she spotted something fluttering in the breeze.

"Akeno… Is that…"

"Victoria's real secret?" Her Queen _purred,_ "Why, yes it is. Every woman's dream bra, 'Racy Lacy Number 7, which lifts, firms and supports while feeling nearly weightless." Reciting the tagline that created mass rioting at the cashiers of every one of the lingerie store's outlets from memory, Akeno smiled a smile so fake that any rational person down the street would have fled upon witnessing the terrifying sight.

Too bad her King wasn't rational at all when it came to defending her boys.

Family first.

Even against other family.

"I apologize for my idiot crossing the line," Rias tentatively began, watching carefully as Akeno's brows twitched at her obvious attempt to defuse the ticking bomb, "But don't you think you're overreacting a tad?"

Steam hissed out of Akeno's ears, her rage building up like an overboiled kettle about to blow its top.

And Rias went for the kill.

"Besides, it's not really Issei's fault that your jugs are so big that they sag, needing the assistance of a bra."

And the boiling kettle detonated like a nuke.

The forest would never recover fully from the ensuing clash.

Ever.

Because by the time Naruto saw fit to intervene in the brewing catfight, nothing remained of the once vibrant ecosystem but ashes.

The blonde had been having too much fun watching two of the most beautiful women he'd ever had the pleasure to know, duke it out for the sake of brea- *cough* pride and honour.

Though he wasn't quite sure why they both blushed like innocent maidens when he pointed that out when questioned on his lack of intervention.

Kurama could only shake its head at its partner's denseness.

* * *

**-THE NEXT DAY-**

* * *

Naruto smiled proudly at the rowdy lot that he had beaten back into fighting shape in an impossibly short time.

They had started out four days with ago their edge long dulled from neglect and complacency, barely training enough to slow down the decline in their fighting capability. Now, they had already made great strides in progress, having a decent grasp of the basics of evasion, tracking, concealment and overall survivability. The new inductees had also lost some of the naivety that came with being a newly reincarnated devil.

It was an impressive feat that they had improved so markedly in the short time they had available.

Issei was still a work in progress, but he was proud of the perverted bastard. His King had tasked him to pull away the opposing team's defenders, and he had gone above and beyond in his duty, creating a gift-wrapped opportunity for his teammate to snatch the target through creating a distraction. Even if he had resorted to nabbing the opponents' underwear to pull out the win.

Yet, the brunette had proven his loyalty to his King, and also showing that once properly motivated, nothing could stop him from accomplishing his task.

His actions had been key to Rias' team clinching victory in yesterday's exercise by the skin of their teeth.

Issei had been the reason that Koneko had left her station at the blue team's flag, enraging her enough with his perverted stunt that she had abandoned everything else to wreak vengeance on the "Filthy pervert senpai."

Naruto snickered. Issei had a lot of bribery to do to even get Koneko to look at him without cursing him out.

He had also been instrumental in saving Kiba from his inevitable defeat at Akeno's hands initially, even if he had pissed her off so much later by stealing her "finest treasure" that she nearly killed them both anyway.

Needless to say, the only reason Issei was conscious today was that Asia had taken responsibility for punishing him appropriately after the match.

Akeno and Koneko had stifled their protests instantly.

They had learned many eternal truths over the course of these few days.

One of the more important ones was: "Never piss off the person in charge of stitching you back up."

Of which the addendum was "Lest you wake up without your limbs attached"

Yet, the person he was proudest of, was Asia. She had finally shrugged off the restraints that kept her stagnant as someone to be perpetually protected, hiding from the cruelties of reality behind her comrades. A naive little maiden had walked into the woods three days ago, she walked out with her innocence tempered with resolve, ready to face the world at last.

He truly was proud of the adorable nun, even if he had to pinch his nose ever so often from cuteness overload.

She was a quick learner in the art of weaponizing her natural charm, inducing nosebleeds from those subjected to her wide, viridian eyes and moist, quivering lips.

Naruto had to ensure said innocence stayed intact from the _true _hell he was about to unleash upon the peerage.

Kiba too, was deserving of praise, having significantly overcome his hindrance of misguided chivalry in combat. The Knight had demonstrated this by actually taking Asia out in the game yesterday, even if he had done it as gently as he could, as if he was tucking in the adorable Bishop to a nice afternoon nap. Then again, even Naruto wasn't sure if he was capable of kicking the proverbial puppy without his conscience making him spew blood. Especially if said puppy was _this _endearing.

Akeno, meanwhile, had made the most progress in terms of pure prowess, her control over lightning was now as good as it ever was, if not better. She was making good use of her priestess heritage to perform sacred dances that called down powerful storm clouds, greatly lessening the strain on her magical reserves to power her bolts. After all, why rely on mere magic when the real deal was flashing in the rumbling clouds overhead? However, Naruto was still miffed at the premature reveal of her trump card, he had greatly appreciated the element of surprise in spicing up their… _sessions. _

Naruto shook his head, he had been getting more distracted recently. Perhaps it was the constant proximity to the beauties he had been in the company of for the past few days.

But damn if he hadn't enjoyed watching Akeno, her usual graceful, sedate mask replaced by sheer righteous fury, really go at it with her equally beautiful King, who had been cackling evilly as she relished the opportunity to really cut loose, dodging lightning bolts by the skin of her teeth.

A man had needs after all.

Rias too, had gotten more in touch with her bloodline's powers, exercising the Power of Destruction in a more versatile manner, now capable of generating self-sustaining shields using Destruction itself, instead of rigidly flinging bolts of energy that were easily dodged or merely tanked by superior opponents.

Still, her progress in improving both her inherent abilities and her combat tactics and adaptability fell behind Akeno's own.

During yesterday's training exercise, Rias still lacked proactiveness when it came to combat, despite demonstrating some initiative in strategy planning and deploying her troops. She had remained at the back as the last line of defense till the last possible second before stepping forth to demonstrate her actual strength, beyond that of formulating decent strategies, barely clinching the win.

Despite Rias being fresher and possessing more reserves due to her not being engaged for the entire game so far, Akeno had been still been enraged enough to nearly take her out.

Had the Crimson Ruin Princess fallen, her unconscious teammates would have been defenseless.

An event that could've had devastating consequences had they been in a conflict with serious stakes.

As it stood, Akeno outstripped her in sheer fitness, stamina and versatility, the ebony-haired beauty nearly outlasting her King in their showdown, despite Rias possessing the technical advantage in sheer destructive potential.

The peerage's King had gone through a crash course in tactical awareness, planning and battlefield strategy along with Akeno, as the second-in-command. Rias did come up with decent plans that had a good chance of working out, but Akeno far outstripped her in her ability to adapt and thinking clearly in critical situations.

No plan survives contact with the enemy after all, and Akeno was ahead in adaptability, judging by how she had shifted to the offensive after both her teammates got taken out early in the game.

Furthermore, her efforts had nearly snatched her team the win from the jaws of defeat by taking down two enemies outright, before nearly defeating the last one before collapsing in exhaustion.

Having been satisfied with the progress made by the crew, Naruto had removed the penalty inflicted upon the losers of 'Capture-the-flag', allowing both teams to have a sumptuous dinner together before retiring to their comfortable beds back in the cottage.

According to his training philosophy, for there to be a winner, there had to be a corresponding loser, and the losing team were originally supposed to forage for dinner themselves in the forest, before sleeping outside in the cold.

Needless to say, Akeno's team had been thankful to hear that they could eat and rest well that night despite their defeat. Especially since the epic clash between King and Queen had irreversibly destroyed the surrounding vegetation for centuries to come. They would've counted themselves lucky if they could've located even berries leftover in the aftermath of the carnage.

And so there was widespread relief and celebration when the blonde maniac in charge announced that the next day was to be one of relaxation, the only activity planned was a simple game of modified dodgeball, a reward for the culmination of the hard work put on over the past few days. Despite the game's simplicity, it served its purpose in refining the players' reflexes and tactical planning.

After a good night's sleep for all, Naruto split the peerage into two teams for the game come morning: Koneko, Asia, and Rias vs Kiba, Akeno, and Issei, switching up from the previous day's 'Capture-the-Flag'.

"Dodge Shot" was a magical variant of dodgeball, in which the ball was replaced with a magical sphere that could be imbued with either spells or their own inherent abilities to give it a little more 'oomph' to the game. Naruto had complained that normal dodgeball was too boring, lacking the potential to inflict some _real _pain on the enemies, if they were hit by a mere rubber ball.

Sometimes Rias wondered if Naruto had spent too much time around Akeno, or that his training had turned them all into masochists.

She didn't like either idea very much, especially the former. She was already mildly irritated at how _satisfied _the two appeared after returning from one of their little _sessions_. If she didn't know better, she could've sworn that they had been doing more _vigorous_ activities than merely beating each other up in training while clad in skimpy outfits.

The limp Akeno had after those sessions was suspect enough, but the self-satisfied smirks that her Queen shot her challengingly really got on her nerves.

Which was why she was really going at it in the game of 'Dodge-Shot'.

Adding a little extra Destruction to the sphere, she mumbled. "Monopolise more of my Naru-time, you bitch." Scowling, Rias leapt up before spinning about for extra centrifugal force, hurling the sphere with all her strength at the buxom beauty clad in nothing but one of Naruto's dress shirts and bloomers.

Naruto, who was assuming the role of the 'impartial' referee, had nearly fallen out of his perch in the high chair as he slid his shades down his nose to get a better view of a smirking Akeno, who obligingly performed a light twirl, the bottom of the shirt riding up suggestively as it exposed her slim waist and delicate belly button.

Blood trickling slightly down his nose, Naruto promptly flipped the numbers on the scoreboard up.

**[1 : 0]**

"Impartial my ass." Rias growled in annoyance. Naruto had justified his decision as "Exceeding expectations in prior preparation of the appropriate attire for the game."

Perhaps his credibility might have stood up to scrutiny if the blonde hadn't been staunching the bleeding from Akeno's little _show_ with a tissue pack liberated from Issei's temporarily collapsed form.

The brunette had actually gotten flung backwards from the blood gushing from his nose at Akeno's performance_._

Issei had barely avoided being disqualified from his blood loss induced collapse, which he attributed to _technical difficulties._

After seeing to it that Issei was revived, Naruto had promptly started the game, settling in for a good show with another one of Rias' smoothies.

Kiba and Asia had been knocked out in the first five minutes, due to the Knight still being slightly lightheaded, even after Asia had cured the tumour that had swelled his nose up like a balloon, and Asia being the usual adorable klutz, walking right into a shot aimed at Rias.

It was now a 2v2.

Akeno and Issei versus Rias and Koneko.

The petite Rook hadn't forgiven Issei for his dastardly crimes, no matter how much he had pleaded that he had done it for his team to win the game.

And here was a gift-wrapped opportunity to exact covert vengeance, as she could not openly do so due to her pact with Asia.

That girl managed to get _her_ of all people with her cuteness.

She had the monopoly on cuteness dammit!

Shaking her head to rid herself of those distracting thoughts, the white haired Nekoshou smirked as she caught the ball, the sphere shaking in strain as Koneko crushed the rapidly rotating ball with all her strength, before spinning around and punting the projectile across the court like a blast from a railgun.

Issei shuddered in terror at the bloodlust glinting in her golden orbs as a sadistic cheshire grin adorned her visage.

Koneko had never looked this satisfied without a sweet treat stuffed in her mouth, as she watched the sphere rocket towards the frozen brunette. Revenge was as sweet and tasty as one of her treasured treats apparently.

However, the Pawn refused to simply stand there like a fool and take the hit. He had learned much over the past few days.

The **{Boosted Gear}** materialised instantly on his forearm, the crimson gauntlet shifting into physical form with a single thought.

Issei's reaction time had increased massively by necessity, as a split second was all he got in warning before needing to throw himself to the side to dodge one of Kurama's nukes.

Issei had once complained that despite being the Welsh Dragon's vessel, he was born as a squishy human, having no blessings or innate abilities from birth, making him extremely vulnerable in his current weak state, lacking any protection or armour whatsoever.

Naruto had graced the brunette with such a pitying look that Issei had nearly exploded from the condescending stare which was making him feel like a pathetically stupid gnat.

The blonde had then groaned in exasperation before beginning his response of Issei's whining.

"My dear idiotic brother, are you not the wielder of the legendary **{Boosted Gear}**, a weapon forged by the Biblical God himself to contain the soul of a Dragon so powerful it took the combined might of the three factions to take him down? A god-slaying weapon housed in a shell so powerful even Ddraig couldn't break out of, even with all his might? If the Welsh Dragon couldn't get past that gauntlet he's been trapped in for millennia, what better armour could you ask for than what you already possess in your very soul?"

The look of sheer enlightenment on his face as Issei processed Naruto's observation was enough to brighten the room they were in, much to Naruto's amazement.

He couldn't believe that someone other than Asia possessed the power to brighten entire rooms with just a facial expression.

Which was really saying something when Issei's idiocy could rival Asia's innocent joy in pure power.

And so Issei dug his feet solidly into the ground, crouching slightly to lower his center of gravity before bracing the {Boosted Gear} before his face, ready to receive Koneko's deceivingly powerful projectile.

He didn't have to wait long.

The sheer kinetic force of the sphere's impact sent Issei skidding back, gritting his teeth as he braced his whole body against the spiraling sphere grinding into his gauntlet, making the bones in his forearm vibrate painfully.

Finally, the sphere stopped, and landed in his outstretched left hand, the crimson armour covering his forearm smoking from tanking the unbelievably powerful blow, a testament to Koneko's raw strength as a Rook.

Ddraig had been impressed.

Time for the counterattack.

**{Boost}**

**{Transfer}**

The sphere flashed a bright crimson color before doubling in capacity, now capable of storing double the original amount of magical energy.

Casually juggling the now heavily inflated sphere in the air, he passed to Akeno, who gracefully caught it and began to infuse it with her signature elemental magic.

The ball was now set to explode, tendrils of electricity randomly firing in all directions.

A sinister smirk graced the sadistic queen's face as in a bizarre turn of events, she hurled the projectile at her own teammate.

Rias' and Koneko's jaws dropped in shock, stunned at the blatant attempt at friendly fire before their eyes.

Till Issei grinned in victory.

**{Boost}**

**{Explosion}**

And _punche_d the magical sphere throbbing with Akeno's Lightning magic, sparks cascading off the sphere from the sheer force of Issei's blow, as it smashed straight into Koneko's crossed arms even as they instinctively rose up in a guard.

Gritting her teeth in exertion, Koneko skidded backwards, digging deep trenches in the ground as her legs ground away at the soil in an attempt to reduce the pure kinetic force that even the petite Rook could grudgingly acknowledge.

Her hair standing on end from the electricity, Koneko's expression was livid.

It had been a good shot, but it wasn't just Issei who had gotten much more adept at using his strengths over the past few days, Naruto had also taught her how to efficiently maximise her Rook durability and physical prowess.

Stopping such a powerful blow might have been beyond her a week ago, but not now.

So why was Akeno still smiling?

'_Oh. Shit.'_

And the sphere imploded, lightning sizzling out in a lattice of bright light that scorched her retinas and deafened her sensitive ears.

Koneko was eliminated.

Instantly.

Rias stared in horror at the slightly smoking form of her diminutive Rook, Asia already rushing over to stitch her back together.

She'd had but a split second to form a shield of Destruction around herself before the impromptu bomb had detonated, leaving her the last member standing.

Rias had attempted to use her bloodline's powers to form a full spherical shield around the projectile initially, but lacked the fine control to materialise it without harming her Rook, who had been succeeding in stopping the sphere's kinetic force.

She could only apologise later.

Regret surged through her. If only she hadn't put off continuing to improve her skill in utilising her powers for the past few years, she could've saved her Rook from her painful fate.

She really hated herself sometimes.

The now inert ball rolled innocently towards her, no sign of the formerly monstrous projectile that had put her rook out of commission earlier.

Growling as she picked up the ball, she leveled a deadly glare at her Queen, whose grin of victory slowly faded.

"If I can't protect my family, you can be DAMN sure I'll avenge it."**(2L)**

Akeno gulped. That really may not have been the best idea.

Naruto winced in sympathetic agony.

The Peerage's King, enraged at having watched one member of her beloved family fall right before her, seemed to have forgotten that this was just a game.

Although that didn't quite seem like the only reason behind Rias hurling the sphere filled with the reddish-black miasma of pure Destruction at her rapidly paling Queen.

Naruto faintly overheard some of the furious muttering Rias was mumbling under her breath.

"Fighting my Naru-chan in those-... sweaty-... Little bitc- bouncy-... "

After hearing his name, the blonde wisely adopted an ignorant, blank expression as he casually slurped another smoothie he had liberated from… somewhere.

He had learnt to ignore, or outright pretend to be just an unknowing, dumb blonde when faced with a potential catfight.

He had carefully modeled his blank, naively stupid expression after Issei's own default expression and it was very effective at its job.

Which spoke volumes about the Pawn's ability to look dumb and naive. Which was a euphemism as the brunette was likely actually that stupid when it came to perverted things.

Akeno wisely took the coward's way out and grabbed the frozen brunette beside her, placing him directly into the line of fire.

Obviously, she hadn't completely worked off her _frustrations_ from Issei's stunt in 'Capture-the-Flag' yesterday.

She had been saving that particular piece of underwear as a trump card during her "_sessions" _with Naruto. The crown jewel of her lingerie collection could only be used sparingly.

Few were worthy of seeing the buxom beauty in her treasured 'Racy Lacy Number 7'.

The current list of worthy candidates currently sat at a hefty sum of one.

Her Naru-kun~.

Rubbing her thighs together in anticipation as she bit her luscious lips, Akeno set aside the smoking brunette, passing the moaning 'corpse' into Asia's welcoming arms.

Issei had been a more than adequate shield for her purposes, Rias' attack had been a _little_ too much for her to defend all on her lonesome.

Perhaps she could officially forgive him for his daring stunt later on.

Hmm…

Not likely.

Turning back to face her rival, Akeno grinned, trailing her moist, red tongue all over her well-formed lips, blowing a kiss at the blonde 'impartial' referee as she sent a taunting gaze at her King

Naruto flipped the scoreboard once more, crimson liquid trickling down from both nostrils this time.

Where was the tissue pack he had liberated from the perpetually well-prepared pawn just now? Besides him. Completely empty.

Tearing a strip of white fabric from his shirt, Naruto stuffed it into his nose.

He was running out of clean white shirts.

But damn was the view well worth it.

Rias' azure eyes twitched in fury at Akeno's obvious taunt.

"That little-"

"That's it. This isn't just a game anymore."

"She just made it personal."

Naruto's chair was suddenly, suspiciously empty, a bloody white cloth the only thing remaining there.

Because Rias had foregone using the sphere entirely.

Massive _spears _of Destruction itself hovered behind the Crimson Ruin Princess.

Time to prove that she lived up to that name.

* * *

**-One Crazy Catfight later-**

* * *

"Is it safe to go out now?" Asia asked innocently, tugging gently at Naruto's shirt.

From his place crouching safely behind Kurama, Naruto whispered back at the petite Bishop. "I'm not sure. The ground hasn't shook for a while though. That's gotta be a sign."

"Kiba, you go check." Naruto suggested innocently. Too innocently.

"Fuck no."

Came the reply from the usually soft-spoken Knight. Kiba wasn't that stupid, having grown up alongside the fiery leaders of the Peerage in the Gremory Estate. It was a minor miracle that the Manor was still standing after they went through the veritable disaster known and dreaded by all parents worldwide as puberty.

"Kurama?"

The abomination's eyes promised his blonde partner nothing but _pain_ for even suggesting it.

Even a beast knew to hide from a force of nature.

All eyes turned to Issei.

"Huh?" He looked up blankly.

Naruto _grinned._

It looks like he had finally found a noble sacrifi-. Ahem.

A volunteer.

The heavily strengthened door to the cottage opened and a still perplexed Issei was booted summarily out from safety. The door slammed shut behind him instantly, various metallic clacks reverberating behind the door as bolts and locks were rapidly secured by Naruto and Kiba.

"What was that for?!" The pawn yelled out, grumbling as he rubbed his throbbing cheeks.

Koneko had a wickedly strong kick.

Jeez. It looked like he really wasn't going to be able to even look at the Rook without various swears and curses hurled at him for the next century or so, at least.

"You still alive?" Came the distorted voice of a certain blonde trainer, muffled behind a thick door barricaded with all the movable furniture in the house.

"What kind of question is tha-?" Issei's irritated question faded off into silence.

"Issei-san?" came a muffled innocent voice, "You alright?"

Silence.

"Any signs of er.. Carnage, blood or strands of hair out there?" Was Naruto's contribution.

"Is the mountain on fire?" Kiba added.

"Die, pervert." It didn't take a genius to deduce who had delivered the insult.

Still silence.

Naruto cracked the door open slightly, peeking out through the gap, the multiple steel chains and locks securing the door obscuring his vision considerably.

Safety first and all that.

Till his jaws dropped.

"WHERE DID THE MOUNTAIN RANGE GO?"

Naruto clapped his hands together briskly, his eyes twitching slightly as he regarded the entire peerage finally all gathered together in the cottage's living room.

It had taken quite a while for Rias and Akeno to regain consciousness after their epic clash this morning, having been rescued from the bottom of a newly formed ravine in what was once a proud mountain range by Naruto.

Asia had actually frozen upon sight of the pair of stiff, smoking, corpse-like bodies Naruto had been solemnly carrying in a makeshift coffin constructed from a hollowed oak trunk.

The blonde was mournfully humming a funeral dirge as he set down the coffin in the center of the medical suite and then joined Kiba, Koneko and Issei as they swayed in unison to the gloomy tune. The foursome clad entirely in black as they kept their heads down in respect to the fallen.

Asia's eyes had actually twitched from frustration at the idiocy of her family sometimes.

It had taken every ounce of her magical energy to revert the two lumps of coal Naruto had brought back from his expedition back to life, Asia's efficacy with {Twilight Healing} having improved by leaps and bounds due to the amount of practice she had been getting in over the last few days.

Rias and Akeno now rested on hospital-grade movable beds, propped up by numerous pillows retrieved from their own beds at home for maximum comfort.

Koneko had been conferred this task, and she had dutifully carried it out, returning an hour later with both sets of pillows.

It was a sign of her dedication to this task that she had still fulfilled it dutifully despite returning from Akeno's residence with a blank, horrified expression, mumbling vaguely about horrifyingly anatomically-accurate blonde-haired dolls in various states of damage and disrepair, with missing limbs, heads and even…

Naruto crossed his legs in horror as he backed away in fear from a bedridden Akeno, who could only blush and cup her steaming cheeks innocently.

Darn, so this was what her subconscious had been warning her about lately, Akeno thought, wishing she hadn't ignored the faint feeling of dread which she presumed to be her merely forgetting to turn the stove off before making her way here.

It had taken quite a while before Naruto regained his composure, desperately trying to ignore the proverbial elephant in the room.

Even as Akeno hid her red face behind her hands, desperately avoiding looking at the judging expressions that the entire peerage was no doubt leveling at her right now.

Rias smirked. She had taken pains to hide her own 'Naru-chans' before leaving her bedroom at all times.

The embarrassment she had felt when Sirzechs had discovered her 'Japanophile' and 'weeb' tendencies when she was still a kid had taught her that lesson. Her brother had squished her into a hug, before squealing about how he would carry her secret to his grave.

Which might have been reassuring if he hadn't been shouting out that promise to the entire household to hear.

Rias had subsequently skipped dinner for the following week, unable to face the understanding, commiserating gazes of both Grayfia and her mother.

Finally regaining his cool, Naruto clapped his hands again, bringing their attention back towards him after the accidental reveal of Akeno's _hobbies_.

Struggling to mask his terror behind his deceptively calm, collected mask, Naruto intoned blankly.

''You guys have really improved a lot in these last few days, regaining the sharp edge which you guys have either lost or never had in the first place. You guys have made me proud."

His voice gradually returned to his normal tone, as genuine pride laced his heartfelt words.

"Honestly proud. You guys went above and beyond what I asked for over these few days, really giving it your all in all the exercises I assigned."

The peerage sat up at his words, a sense of accomplishment automatically straightening their postures as they held their heads high.

They had earned this praise through many sacrifices, many which includes blood, sweat and tears..

Then Naruto's voice turned grim, his suddenly stern expression conveying absolute seriousness.

Which means you're now ready for phase two.''

His sudden emotionless stare simultaneously confused and frightened those gathered before him at his abrupt change in pace.

All were collectively confused, a single thought simultaneously echoing through their minds, but Akeno was the only soul brave enough to ask.

''What's phase two?''

''Phase two is where we'll put all this training into practice.'' Naruto grimly pronounced before he turned around and proceeded to walk away, his hands stowed in the pockets of his black slacks.

''I can only hope you are truly ready for what comes next. But it'll have to wait. Take the rest of the day off and do whatever you want. You'll need the rest for what's coming. I'll fill you in on the rest later, I still have to think more on this."

''And just like that he's gone…'' Akeno murmured softly as Naruto disappeared into the woods. "Again."

Melancholic violet eyes followed the blonde's back sadly before he vanished from view.

An oppressive silence reigned in the suddenly tense atmosphere in the cottage.

''Anyone else getting goosebumps?'' Koneko began as she glanced around, scanning the surroundings carefully. Something was up. Something that could turn the normally perpetually cheerful blonde into this grim-faced, almost unrecognizable man.

"Something isn't right here. I think it's a test. Maybe it's a rematch with that abomination he calls Kurama…'' Kiba offered, as he summoned a blade and took up position near the windows, looking for movement.

''I'm taking this seriously." Akeno began, a sombre expression on her features, "There are three things Naruto takes very seriously. Ramen, family and his word." Akeno counted off the three things with her right hand for emphasis.

"When it comes to Naruto it's essential to read between the lines. If he says something seriously, it means he really means it. But what's truly essential is in what he doesn't say explicitly."

"Still though… " Kiba narrowed his eyes and scanned the surroundings with Koneko, gripping his sword so tightly his knuckles turned white against the handle. "I can't shake this worrisome feeling about Phase Two. Buchou, did he mention anything to you?"

"Not explicitly, no." Rias furrowed her brows, adjusting the pillows behind her still healing back. "However, I do know the training supposedly comprises two parts. The first being mere preparation for the second part. I think he's giving us time to recover before the next bit. Problem is, we already feel like meat through the grinder after three days, I can't imagine just what he's cooked up next."

"What kind of training needs another training just to prepare for it?" Issei shivered, arms wrapping protectively around himself, as he rocked back and forth on the sofa.

He still had trauma from being used like a beloved scratching post by Koneko, the horror he felt from the experience second only to the beating the eldritch beast named Kurama had dished out.

Though he should really thank his lucky stars that he had used catnip to disguise his scent, the plant miraculously saving him from being rendered into fleshy strips by an enraged, feral Koneko. The catnip had averted his certain death, instead settling for having Issei's whole body covered in painful lacerations from the doped Nekoshou.

To this day, he still wondered if it would have been better to die than feel the excruciating agony of each cut being inflicted, especially when most of the damage was situated around the vicinity of his face and his more ahem- _sensitive _areas. That had really been a bitch to heal. Naruto had blindfolded Asia before allowing her to work her magic, staring at Issei with crossed arms and blue eyes that promised **DEATH **if Issei reacted in _any _way to the adorable Bishop's proximity.

"What kind of training? The insanely difficult kind. I don't know about you guys but I'm going to go get ready." Kiba declared, sheathing his sword. "If what comes next is worse than what we've already gone through, I'm going to need mental preparation too."

"What can we possibly do if we don't know who, or even what's coming?" Issei pointed out with his usual confounded expression.

To his surprise, it was Koneko who replied to his question, seemingly forgetting that she was supposed to be giving him the cold shoulder due to the serious atmosphere.

Haltingly, the petite Bishop spoke. "Survival, evasion, tactics, teamwork. Training has been mainly focused on these. Senpai also taught us hunting and foraging. The next phase will not be held here. Conditions will probably be harsher and deadlier. We need to be ready."

Issei wasn't stupid enough to look a gift horse in the mouth by commenting on Koneko's sudden change in her treatment of him, actually pausing to think over her words before he postulated, "Maybe a competition on a deserted survival island? Like in the shows?"

"If the show was deadly enough to either kill or severely maim its contestants maybe~" Akeno nudged him.

Despite her relaxed and playful manner, those that knew her knew better. The thought of the training had left her as anxious as anyone around.

Naruto's training had never been painless for the people involved, often being referred to as torture instead.

The buxom beauty was sure of one thing though, she couldn't wait for Naruto to return.

"Naruto, are you truly certain your friends are ready?"

The question remained unanswered for a few moments as the blonde mulled over the answer.

"Nobody ever is, especially for that place. But I know they'll get through it, because I believe in them."

Smooth orange locks swayed gently in the breeze as Naruto's short companion peered curiously at him as they casually strode up the stone path to the cottage atop the much-abused mountain.

Her appearance was quite _unique_, with her bright orange hair draping down freely to just above her neck, sporting three black piercings on either cheek. Atop her head, a knot had been tied out of her orange locks, where four individual clumps of hair each faced a different direction, flopping about in the mild wind.

Despite the warm, humid weather, she sported a full black cloak that covered her entire body sans her hands and feet, a high collar rising up to obscure vision of her slender neck.

The sun had reached the peak of its daily ascent, scouring the land with it's light and heat, and yet the girl didn't seem bothered despite her monochromatic attire covering practically her entire body.

Naruto glanced at her by the corner of his eyes. "What's with the black cloak? How are you not boiling under all that?"

"It is comfortable. Black heats up the surface, enabling air to cycle inside. It is the same principle as the clothes that the mid-eastern humans refer to as the hijab." The girl tugged lightly at the sleeves of Naruto's own black dress shirt, which was folded up to his elbows casually. "Besides, you're wearing black too. I believe the human term for that is 'pot calling the kettle black'."

"I'd use orange if these weren't so comfortable and convenient." Naruto rolled his shoulders, feeling the silken fabric stretch pleasantly on his torso. "Besides, what's the situation in the States, any news on the missing 'Flashlight'?"

His companion shook her head. "No, despite how divided they usually are, with their pride as Greek gods on the line, the Olympians have closed ranks and are keeping information regarding the incident strictly under wraps. Trust them to set aside all their differences temporarily when their reputation is at stake."

"They've got to keep the other pantheons in the dark about this fiasco. The ultimate weapon of the Greek pantheon going missing right in the midst of their domain? That information could spark war in the wrong hands, the Olympians have no lack of enemies just waiting for the opportunity to storm their gates. But given how overdramatic they are, that veil of secrecy shouldn't last much longer." Naruto released a long sigh. "What about our prime suspects in the camp?"

"Everything seems normal so far. The children haven't been made aware of the theft of the bolt and the centaur is still in that school," she returned her eyes to the path ahead. "They aren't aware of my presence yet, and while I haven't confirmed your suspicions of the blonde one as of right now, I have found out that he occasionally demonstrates abnormal behavior when in private."

"Oh?"

"He converses with himself and goes to great lengths to prevent his conversations from being overheard. I have been unable to get near him due to the risk of being discovered."

"There must be a story there, I did feel something off about him when I first saw him. He's putting on an act, no one smiles that much naturally." Naruto ran a hand through his hair tiredly, the problems just kept piling up while he was stuck here fulfilling one of his promises. "Now about that "trainer of heroes," have you managed to figure out why he's left the camp?"

"He seems to be observing a satyr in the school."

"A goat-person? That doesn't make sense, you sure there isn't a demigod in there?"

"If there is I cannot confirm it, but the satyr is best friends to a human boy."

Naruto stopped and the girl stopped with him.

"Is the boy hyperactive, dense and seems to always be twitchy?"

"From my observations, It would seem so. His behavior in school would indicate that he easily distracted, hyperactive, and has an unusually adept proficiency in Ancient Greek."

Naruto nodded slightly, his blonde locks swaying as he did so.

"The kid's a demigod. That's a common trait of all demigods, especially the ability to understand Ancient Greek." The mischievous smirk that adorned his lips morphed in a more serene… almost _fatherly_ smile.

"You've been doing great P, sometimes it feels like you've been growing up too fast." Grinning warmly at his 'daughter', Naruto ruffled her hair playfully as a slight blush decorated her cheeks, "You know, you don't have to spend all your time doing work in my place, take some time to explore the world. See the sights. Or perhaps even spending some time with your pops huh?"

Naruto smiled lightly and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his welcoming warmth, making the girl's blush intensify.

She really had grown up a lot in the past few years. Traveling around the world had broadened her perspectives and taught her how to _feel_, not just think.

Pain was still a work in progress, but she was learning how to _live,_ and not just exist.

And he had never been so proud.

Of the daughter he had inadvertently welcomed into his little family all those years ago.

A journey of growth, love, and joy.

But that my friends, is a tale for a another time.

* * *

**-A few minutes later-**

* * *

As the duo arrived within sight of the cottage, Naruto stopped at the threshold of the clearing.

Pain stopped beside her companion, staring apprehensively at the blonde.

His hands were shaking. Eyes blinking furiously. Pain looked deeper, indecipherable characters running over the surface of her eyes as she scanned her companion.

HIs heart rate was rising from its usual calm, collected pace, where nothing seemed to faze him.

Pain raised a single orange brow, a sad, worried glint in her eyes.

"You're afraid, aren't you father?"

"For your family."

"And what they're about to face."

Naruto froze, looking at her with a surprised expression.

Pain reached out with a single hand.

And wrapped it gently around his own, interlacing their fingers together.

"I think…" She began awkwardly," This is what I'm supposed to do in times like this."

Naruto smiled a watery smile brimming with warmth, pride glimmering in his azure orbs.

He huffed affectionately, "You're too insightful for your own good y'know?"

Before grabbing her comparatively diminutive figure and wrapping her tightly into his arms.

"You've really grown up so much, little one." Affectionately nuzzling his whiskered face into her blazing red cheeks, Naruto hugged his cute daughter close, taking strength from the warm embrace.

He would need it for what came next.

Naruto sighed, it should've never come to this. Had he had more time, he could've gotten them truly ready without resorting to such a dangerous venture.

His heart ached with the guilt and worry that weighed down on his shoulders like yet another boulder atop the rest.

Throbbing with guilt at sending his comrades, his little family, to face untold horrors and unimaginable monsters in a gamble with their very lives.

The hardest choices often required the strongest wills. **(2L)**

And for his family to survive the coming storms, they would need the experience and endurance from Phase Two.

And so with a great feat of will, he steeled his expression and walked into the cottage, prepared to do what it took to save his family.

Even if it meant sending them to the depths of Hell.

Leading Pain by the hand, Naruto walked resolutely towards the cottage.

The redwood door to the living room opened and Naruto stepped in, a rare, grim expression adorning his features.

He was faced by six steely faces, hardened expressions, rigidly straightened backs, and bags full of supplies, weapons and necessities for survival.

He smiled briefly, it looked like they had gotten the message.

Good, they had learned to read between the lines perceptively.

Waving at his companion, he beckoned her forward.

From behind his broad back, stepped another cloaked figure, her features obscured by shadow and a high collar.

"Meet P. An associate of mine, she will be integral to what comes next."

Issei piped up, the first to break the awkward atmosphere.

"Hey Naruto- why is she dressed like that, and what kind of a name is P?"

Naruto's eyes blazed with sudden fury, the blue orbs seemingly lighting on fire when the blunt Pawn unintentionally insulted his daughter's nickname.

Issei took cover from the laser-like glare behind Koneko.

Who promptly dug her elbow into his gut.

Clutching his stomach in agony, the brunette collapsed to the floor, moaning in agony.

The rest of his comrades completely ignored the Pawn, who pouted before stopping his attempt to lighten the grim mood.

"Care to introduce us?" Rias raised a single crimson brow as she stood and stepped forth protectively between the stranger and her peerage.

"Relax." Naruto interjected, "I would trust her with my life, just as I entrust all of you with mine."

Then he glanced at the fallen pawn. "Well… most of you."

Issei ceased his sulking and stood up.

"What'd you say?"

Naruto smirked.

"Case in point."

"Wha-?"

Ignoring her confused pawn, Rias extended her hand, relaxing after Naruto spoke up for his orange-haired companion.

"Nice to meet you Ms. P. I'm Rias Gremory, King of this peerage."

The girl's strange ringed eyes stared at her extended hand, a confused expression appearing upon her visage.

"Why does this weird woman want to touch me, Father?"

And there was absolute silence in the room, save for Naruto face-palming.

"Did she just say….." Rias stammered, eyes frantically darting around the room for confirmation.

Akeno's eyebrows twitched.

"Care to explain, _Father~_?"

Naruto pinched the bridge of his nose… there really wasn't a good way out of this, was there?

Then again, he had never lied to his family.

He sure as hell wouldn't be starting now.

Ignoring the laser-like glares pinning him to the spot, he began quietly.

"I saved her from certain death when she was leading a horribly short, torturous life as a mere experiment at the hands of an insane magus four years ago. Through sharing a part of my own existence with her, I cured the condition that would've ended her life just as it did to her predecessors one after another without fail. I took her in, a young girl, new to the world outside of the torture she endured for every day of her cruel existence. Protected her, cared for her as she grew up, showed her that the world held just as much wonder and beauty as the darkness she had endured. Taught her how to _live, _instead of merely existing."

Naruto finished the sombre tale, dipping his head at the reminder of how cruel the real world was outside, the darkness that was barely held at bay each day, hungering to devour and smother the last specks of purity and innocence that remained.

There was a heavy, charged silence hanging in the air.

He looked up.

Tears shimmered in the eyes of the entire peerage. Some more than others.

Kiba's own cerulean orbs glimmered with the understanding and sympathy of a kindred spirit.

One that understood the horrors she went through, and the salvation she must have felt when she was lifted from that abyss.

Naruto smiled affectionately, his usual sunny grin tinged slightly with sadness.

"Pain's a work in progress, she still lacks understanding of social cues and is easily confused, but she's learning fast. She's seen a lot more of the beauty this world still has to offer, and learned lots. She's slowly grasping emotions beyond sadness and despair, learning to truly feel, experiencing joy, melancholy, reflection, hope and dreams alike. Even pursuing that flighty temptress... Adventure."**(3L)**

"Isn't that right, my little one?" He grinned at the slightly blushing girl, rubbing her orange locks fondly.

"Dad! Stop embarrassing me!" Pain protested, whining as her father figure picked her up, tossing her over his broad shoulders tenderly, laughing even as she beat at his head with her small fists.

Rias and Akeno's faces gained a healthy shade of pink at the adorable display of fatherly affection.

Naruto was a _great_ dad.

Oh the possibilities…

Akeno bit her lips and rubbed her thighs together, sending a longing gaze towards the blonde.

Rias pouted. She couldn't stake a claim yet, not with that dastardly engagement hanging above her head like the proverbial Sword of Damocles.

She could only hope Akeno didn't advance too far ahead while she was still unfairly trapped.

That little bitc-.

'_Ara Ara Rias-chan… How is __**this **__little?'_

On second thought, that _big _bitch.

She still hadn't forgotten the horror, tinged with _mild_ jealousy(despite how she vehemently denied its existence) as Akeno thoroughly refuted her accusation in their first game of Fry N Seek, with plenty of _proof._

Finally putting the pouting girl down, Naruto gave Pain one final headpat before becoming serious again.

He could do this. He had to. For their sakes.

"You have all made significant progress recently, nigh-miraculous progress actually, in the short time we've spent together. But what comes next is the real deal."

"I cannot emphasise enough how dangerous Phase Two is. Despite all your preparation, I can assure you will never be fully ready for this."

A concerned murmur traveled through the group of six, they had never seen the normally cheerful, confident blonde act so grim, so _worried_.

"What is Phase Two?" whispered the King.

They all dreaded the answer.

Naruto's eyes glimmered with barely concealed regret.

"Tartarus."

Horror and shock covered the faces of some of them.

"Tartarus?" Akeno repeated with a dumb look on her face. "As in the deepest pits of Hell?"

"Yep."

"Are you mad? "

"A little, but that's beyond the point. None of you have to go if you don't ."

Shoulders loosened and they released a collective sigh of relief.

Kiba the first to recover raised his head. "What's the catch?"

"There is none, you don't want to go, then you don't. You're a big boy and you know what's at stake." Naruto rolled his eyes. "Plus the only way the training will work is if you go willingly."

"At stake, you mean...?"

"Yeah that." Naruto nodded.

Issei tilted his head. "Am I missing something? What you two talking about?"

"Oh right, Rias didn't tell you yet." Naruto glanced at the red-head. "She's engaged to a devil of the Phoenix clan, Riser Phoenix."

"WHAT?!"

"I know right? His name sounds like a Viagra brand, but its really is that."

"No, that's not it. I mean..." Issei turned to Rias, "you're really engaged?"

Rias frowned, "I am..."

"Yeah Issei, it's bad. Devil marriages are built to last several millennia unless one dies, plus she'll have to lose her status as Gremory heir and take the Phoenix name, where there she'll become a nobody."

"Wow..."

"There is hope though, if she proves that Riser isn't fit or worthy to be her husband then she can cancel it. But for that she'd have to do something like beat him in a Rating Game and for that... well... for that you'll have to get a lot stronger."

"I see..." Issei looked down.

They all took a moment to reflect.

Issei looked up at Naruto, a fire in his eyes. "Will going to Tartarus really help me get stronger to break this marriage?"

"Yep, time fluctuates in Tartarus, so you can get a week or a year worth of training in a day in there."

"Then sign me up!" Issei pumped his fist upwards.

His enthusiasm and fire infected the others immediately and they responded in kind.

"Fufufu that's the spirit."

"Count me in as well."

"Me too..."

"I'll also go..."

"You guys..."

Naruto clapped his hands together, his visage having changed from the usual cocky smirk to a more genuine and warm smile.

"That's great, remember that fire you're all feeling now in your chests, that will be what will get you through that hell."

They nodded in union.

Still, one thing didn't feel right and Kiba was the one to catch onto it.

"Wait a minute, Naruto. As the rook, you and Kurama would have to participate in the Rating Game with us. Can't you two beat Riser?"

"Yeah, we can. I'm confident I could sweep his entire peerage alone, but I won't be here for the Rating Game."

"You won't? Why not?"

"I'll have to leave the Peerage. There's something I have to do and it's very much illegal, and I'll have to leave because of the backfire it'd have on Rias."

"Then just don't do it then."

"I wouldn't if I didn't absolutely have to, but I'm afraid I have no choice now. It's complicated and involves my sister and family, not anything any of you can help. So don't worey about it. You guys have your own fish to fry... I'm sure you'll be okay without me."

They were ready.

* * *

**AN: What a fucking note to end the chapter on! **

**As you can see, Naruto isn't a callous asshole trying to train them to the ground. He's a man desperate to protect the last things he has left. -Danga**

**Important side note, I rewrote chapter 1 before we got started on this beast, adding a few thousand words. Have fun re-reading it, it's more polished now, with more action and stuff. Plus plenty of laughs. - Lux (Plus he added 4k… like always.- Danga) **

**COMMENTS:**

**(1D) The cup was biodegradable you tree huggers. - Danga (Seconded.)** \- **Lux**

**(1L) MEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEMS This is gonna be a thing btw don't say i didn't warn ya. - Lux**

**(2L) **_**Haha don't Flame me pls, I rewatched avengers ytd. It's bouncing around in my head. *Laughs Manically* **_ **\- Lux **

**(3L) If anyone of you can guess the origin of this particular line, I'll be exceptionally impressed. No really. I'll give you a freshly baked internet cookie (Bullshit - Danga) (Fuck you, internet cookies are awesome. They come in chocolate chip flavors.) - Lux**

**Ps. If any of you fuckers lewd Pain, you guys will get a one way ticket to hell… and its not the Dxd kind.. - Danga.**

And for all those who bothered to read past all the notes, here's an omake for ya.

Three actually.

* * *

**OMAKE #1**

* * *

**In which Asia discovers the limits of {Twilight Healing}**

You are all my FAMILY!"

"The people I love the most in the world! The people I will gladly lay my life down for so that you guys can experience just one day more of joy!"

Panting from his emotional outburst, the blonde deflated, his fire dimming as he raised a hand to cover his face, cloaking his features in shadow.

"I would gladly sacrifice _anything_ to protect you from the horrors of the world out there! To keep you safe, I would have done anything!"

A single tear escaped his azure orbs, trailing past his whiskered cheeks as it left a glistening trail of salty liquid down to his chin, as he stared deep into her eyes.

**Fairy Blue it is only for you**

I **would crush the stars,**

**And put them on display.**

**If you really put your faith in me,**

**When you're lost here I am,**

**Forever with your soul.**

**Waiting here above you patiently,**

**Just like the shining moon.**

And they all fell back, collapsing unconscious to the floor even as blood gushed from their noses and clutched at their guts.

"What's wrong with them?"

Asia frantically ran her hands over their fallen forms.

She paled.

"It can't be…"

She looked up in desperation.

"Their ovaries exploded!"

Panicking, Asia started yelling.

"They didn't teach us how to fix ovaries in med school!"

And Naruto fainted.

**THE END.**

**Ok I admit it, I may be a tad drunk. Just a little. I'm still sober enough that I'm not admitting that I wrote this by putting my name here. Have fun guessing. (Not it! - Danga)**

* * *

**OMAKE #2**

* * *

**In which Pain struggles to grasp the unspoken rules and intricacies of social interaction.**

Care to introduce us?" Rias raised a single crimson brow as she stood and stepped forth protectively between the stranger and her peerage.

"Relax." Naruto interjected, "I would trust her with my life, just as I entrust all of you with mine."

Then he glanced at the fallen pawn. "Well… most of you."

Issei ceased his sulking and stood up.

"What'd you say?"

Naruto smirked.

"Case in point."

"Wha-?"

Ignoring her confused pawn, Rias extended her hand, relaxing after Naruto spoke up for his orange-haired companion.

"Nice to meet you Ms. P. I'm Rias Gremory, King of this peerage."

The girl's strange ringed eyes stared at her extended hand hovering awkwardly in the air, before giving Rias a quick once over, as if analysing her physique.

Turning to Naruto, Pain inquired curiously as she tilted her head, all the while ignoring Rias' still outstretched hand, making the redhead's brow twitch in increasing fury at being ignored so nonchalantly.

"**Father, just what exactly to you see in her? She's shorter than you, has excessively wide hips, and massive breasts. How does she not have back pains with those monsters on her chest?"**

Koneko could be seen nodding along in agreement. This one was worthy of induction into the Church of Lolis.

Flat was justice after all.

Naruto facepalmed.

* * *

**OMAKE #3**

* * *

**IN WHICH A STUPID AUTHOR ACCIDENTALLY DECIDED TO BE A SELF-INSERT THAT'S FAR TOO IMMERSIVE **

A man of Asian descent trudged along the desecrated forest of… where was he again?

"God this hangover is killing me!" He muttered as a stumbled along the forest, small flashes of lights appearing in the distance.

It was then a certain blonde took notice of the human somehow managed to bypass the barries he set up.

The blonde zoomed towards the human intent on finding out how exactly he managed to get bypass the barrier.

"Damn… Lux is going to kill me if I fall in that pit of… Oh hey there sir." He drunkenly saluted the blonde who seemingly materialized infront of him.

"Who are you and what are doing here?" The blonde man growled with authoritative tone.

The Asian man stared, unable to believe his eyes, the dude had whiskers! Fucking whiskers!

"Dude. Where did you get your cosplay gear man? That's the most realistic Naruto I've seen!"

The blonde stiffened, his eyes locked on to the curious man.

"Cosplay? I am Naruto."

"Pfft Yea right. And I'm the author of this fanfiction."

The man stiffened, his mind finally catching up to his eyes.

And then he promptly fainted.

* * *

**-Twenty Minutes later-**

* * *

"That was a weird ass dream, I thought I fell into the world of… who are you?"

A small blonde nun was carefully checking over his body for any injuries, her hands glowed with soothing green miasma.

The nun jumped, her expression reminiscent of a startled rabbit before she regained her composure.

"I'm Asia, Mr. Danga is it? That's what it says on your name tag"

"Hey Asia Dinner's rea-"

The man looked between the curious ebony haired beauty and the innocent blonde nun, knowing exactly where he was.

"Well Sh*t."

He entered the realm of Morpheus once more.

**(I didn't write the two omakes above this one., I'll let you guess who wrote them, I'll give you a hint, the guy who wrote them is a guy.) - Danga.**

**See you next month fellas!**


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